In a recent revelation made by SPORT, it has come to light that the relationship between Barcelona captain Marc-Andre ter Stegen and coach Hansi Flick soured towards the end of the 2024/25 season.
The outlet suggests that the tension between ter Stegen and Flick is not new. It dates back to their time with the German national team, where Flick opted to stick with Manuel Neuer in goal despite ter Stegen’s impressive form at Barcelona.
This decision led to strained relations between Flick and ter Stegen, which have carried over to their time at Barcelona.
When Flick took over as Barcelona’s coach, he initially seemed keen on ter Stegen as his first-choice goalkeeper.
However, the keeper’s long-term injury allowed Wojciech Szczesny to take the starting spot, and Flick stuck with him even after ter Stegen’s return to full fitness.
Uncertainty looms
The arrival of Joan Garcia from Espanyol has further complicated matters for ter Stegen, with the young goalkeeper seemingly in line to take over as the starter.
While Flick still holds ter Stegen in high regard as a goalkeeper, the club’s coaching staff appears to be pushing for a change in the goalkeeping department.
Given these developments, Barcelona might be willing to let ter Stegen go, ending his long tenure at the club. As things stand, ter Stegen’s future at Barcelona looks uncertain, and it remains to be seen whether he will stay or go this summer.
What really happened?
The situation had soured towards the end of the season when Ter Stegen had returned to fitness and was available for selection.
Against Inter Milan in the Champions League semi-final, though, Flick decided to stick with Szczesny, a decision that did not go well with Ter Stegen.
Ultimately, towards the end of the campaign, Barcelona decided to sign a new keeper altogether, which effectively put the German veteran out of the picture.
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