Barcelona sporting director Deco has insisted Marc-André ter Stegen still has a huge role to play at the club, despite the summer arrival of Joan Garcia from Espanyol.
The 33-year-old German was left frustrated after Barça moved for Garcia, a deal that sparked controversy and a breakdown in relations with the board. Ter Stegen, who has been first-choice for a decade, trained separately during pre-season and underwent back surgery, even posting his own medical update without informing the club. The situation escalated to the point where he was briefly stripped of the captaincy, before being reinstated.
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Speaking to Mundo Deportivo, Deco dismissed claims the signing of Garcia was aimed at replacing Ter Stegen. “Marc is a great goalkeeper, captain of the team, he has a history with the club that we respect and value, and he can still make history because he is a 33-year-old goalkeeper, which is not an advanced age,” he said. “When he got injured, we realized we had few goalkeepers and we turned to look for one for the present and the future. That was the idea with Joan.”
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Deco stressed that Ter Stegen remains the No.1 when fit: “If Ter Stegen were available, he would be playing.”
The German is tied to Barça until 2028 and is expected to return from back surgery in late November or early December.
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