Ter Stegen Loses Barcelona Captaincy

Barcelona have removed Marc-Andre ter Stegen from his role as club captain due to an ongoing disciplinary issue.

The 33-year-old German goalkeeper, who last played for his national team in June, had back surgery in late July and is currently recovering.

According to BBC Sports News, the issue began when Ter Stegen refused to let Barcelona share his medical information with La Liga. Sharing this data would have allowed the club to register new players if his absence was expected to last long enough.

Recently, Ter Stegen posted on social media that he would be out for three months. However, La Liga rules only allow a player to be registered as a long-term absentee if they are sidelined for at least four months.

Barcelona have made several new signings this summer, including goalkeeper Joan Garcia from Espanyol and England forward Marcus Rashford, who joined on loan from Manchester United. The club is likely aiming to register these players under La Liga’s strict financial rules, which could be affected by Ter Stegen’s injury status.

In a statement, the club said:

“Following the disciplinary proceedings opened against player Marc-Andre ter Stegen, and until this matter is definitively resolved, the club, by mutual agreement with the sporting direction and the coaching staff, has decided to temporarily withdraw his role as first-team captain.”

They also announced that vice-captain Ronald Araujo will now serve as the acting captain.

Ter Stegen has played over 400 matches for Barcelona since arriving from Borussia Monchengladbach in 2014. His time at the club includes winning the Champions League and six La Liga titles.