Barcelona continued their perfect domestic record this season, but Sunday’s 1-5 rout over Villarreal was a bittersweet outing. The game was marred by goalkeeper Marc Andre ter Stegen suffering a serious knee injury that will keep him out of action for much of the rest of this season. FC Barcelona confirmed on Monday that ter Stegen will undergo surgery after tests revealed a “complete rupture” in the patella tendon in his right knee. Catalan radio station Rac1 reported that the injury could see the German out for up to eight months, which could mean his campaign is already finished.
The loss of their captain will be a huge test for Barça in the coming months, who will now rely on Iñaki Peña to be their number one goalkeeper while ter Stegen is out. Peña stepped into the first team for a spell of 17 games in the middle of last season while ter Stegen was suffering with a back problem, and despite winning plaudits early on, cúlers were happy to see ter Stegen returning and were left with some concerns that the reserve goalkeeper could be a position to strengthen.
Last season, the difference between the performance of both goalkeepers was stark: Peña conceded 32 goals in 17 games, while ter Stegen let in only 37 in 36 matches. Yet, the Catalans didn’t bring in any new goalkeepers during the transfer window, and that means that Iñaki Peña will be the first team net minder at least until January. How well the former Barça Atlètic keeper does during this spell of deputizing will determine whether the club will look to bring in reinforcements in the next transfer window.
Barcelona's Goalkeeping Woes: A Look at the Options
Murmurs of strengthening in the goalkeeper position were already beginning when ter Stegen had an evening to forget in Barça’s Champions League opener away to Monaco last week. Confusion between he and Eric Garcia led to a situation where Garcia was sent off, setting Barça on a bad track to eventually losing their European opener 2-1 to the Principality side. Now, Joan Laporta will be faced with a two-pronged question for January: will Barça look for a better backup goalkeeper, a replacement for Iñaki Peña? Or will they instead look directly to sign a player who can compete with ter Stegen for the top spot?
Alternatively, the club could move to the free agents market. If Barça signed a player currently unattached with a team, they could be registered to play in the team immediately. Keylor Navas, Sergio Rico, Jordi Masip, Edgar Badía, Tomas Vaclik, Nikola Petric, and Loris Karius are some of the professional goalkeepers currently without clubs.
Peña will hope to quell the club’s worries over the position as he takes the gloves for the next few months at least. The blaugrana will have to count on him for the bulk of their Champions League group phase and roughly half of the domestic campaign, at least.
Flick's First Test: Building Around Peña
After a dream start to the Flick era, the new had their first setback of the season in that Monaco defeat. Now the German coach will have an even trickier task on his hands; building around the second-choice goalkeeper. Flick will need to instill confidence in Peña and adapt the team’s playing style to suit his strengths. It is a challenging task, but one that Flick, known for his tactical acumen, will be eager to overcome.
The Barcelona hierarchy will hold emergency talks this week to discuss whether to sign a free-agent goalkeeper to replace the injured Marc-André ter Stegen, sources have told ESPN. Ter Stegen, 32, will undergo surgery on Monday after completely rupturing the patella tendon in his right knee in Sunday's 5-1 LaLiga win at Villarreal. Sources have told ESPN the Germany goalkeeper will be sidelined for months and is unlikely to play again this season.
Iñaki Peña came on in goal at Villarreal and made 12 appearances in LaLiga last season while Ter Stegen was out with a back problem. However, sources have told ESPN that Barça coach Hansi Flick, sporting director Deco and other high-ranking club officials will meet to analyse how to proceed without Ter Stegen. The options are to stick with Peña, sign a goalkeeper who is without a club to compete with the academy graduate or wait until the January transfer window opens to re-assess the situation.
A Pressing Need for a New Keeper
LaLiga regulations would allow Barça to sign a free agent outside of the transfer window following the long-term injury suffered by Ter Stegen. The Catalan club remain in excess of their league-imposed annual spending limit -- although it has risen to over €400 million ($444m) -- but would be permitted to invest up to 80% of Ter Stegen's salary in a replacement. It is a rule Barça have already used this season to register Iñigo Martínez, Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor with LaLiga due to injuries to Ronald Araújo and Andreas Christensen.
Keylor Navas, Loris Karius and former Barça player Jordi Masip are among the goalkeepers currently without a club who could sign immediately. In the meantime, Peña will continue as No.1 ahead of Wednesday's visit from Getafe as Barça look to make it seven wins from seven at the start of the new campaign in LaLiga. Peña, 25, has been at the club since 2012 and impressed on loan at Turkish side Galatasaray in 2022, earning a place in the first team squad as Ter Stegen's backup the following season. Barça's third-choice goalkeeper is 20-year-old Ander Astralaga, while United States international Diego Kochen has also been regularly involved with first team training sessions and squads.
The Road Ahead for Barcelona
Barcelona’s injury crisis deepens with the news of ter Stegen’s absence. The club is facing a critical juncture. While the signing of a temporary replacement is crucial, the long-term impact of ter Stegen’s absence remains uncertain. Whether the team can maintain its winning momentum and contend for silverware without its captain is a question that hangs heavy in the air. This injury serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of even the strongest squads and the unpredictable nature of the sport. The next few months will be a test of the team’s resilience and the ability of Hansi Flick to adapt to a new reality. Only time will tell how Barcelona navigates this challenging period, but one thing is for sure: the spotlight will be on their goalkeeping situation for the foreseeable future.
