Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen could make his first appearance of the season on Tuesday night as the Blaugrana travel to face Guadalajara in the Copa del Rey. Head coach Hansi Flick confirmed that first-choice goalkeeper Joan Garcia will be rested for the match.
Ter Stegen has been sidelined since undergoing back surgery earlier this year and only returned to training last week. Despite the German captain’s return, Flick emphasized that Joan Garcia remains his first-choice goalkeeper.
Speculation over ter Stegen’s future has intensified, particularly as Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann has stressed that the goalkeeper needs regular playing time to retain his position as the national team’s number one ahead of the World Cup. A loan move has been suggested as a potential solution.
“This is his decision,” Flick told ESPN. “We spoke about his situation and I respect Marc a lot because he’s a fantastic goalkeeper. He’s a really good player for us, also a good human for the team, but at the end it’s his decision and he has to decide, so it’s about that.”
Joan Garcia will be rested for at least a month, while Wojciech Szczesny, who was sidelined with a stomach bug during Barcelona’s win over Osasuna on Saturday, has returned to training. Flick indicated that a final decision on the starting goalkeeper will be made closer to kickoff.
“Joan will rest. But today is not the day to make the decisions [on who will play]. I want to wait until tomorrow,” Flick said.
Flick praised all three goalkeepers in his squad, acknowledging their importance both on and off the pitch. “Of course, Marc is a fantastic goalkeeper. In the goal, we have three excellent players. I am really happy about this. Joan is No.1, and we will see what happens. Tek [Szczesny] played a fantastic season last year—we won three titles with him. Also, this season, when Joan was injured, he gave us stability. Tek is not only important on the pitch, but also in the dressing room.”
