FC Barcelona can boast what will essentially be dubbed a new signing for its end of season run.
FC Barcelona can boast what is often dubbed ‘a new signing’ in Spain, for its end of season run.
Captain Marc-Andre ter Stegen hasn’t been seen on a competitive soccer pitch since September last year.
After he was brought off injured approaching half time in an eventual 5-1 away thrashing of Villarreal, the Catalans then confirmed through a statement that the German had suffered “a complete rupture in the patella tendon in his right knee”.
Approaching May, Ter Stegen is now on the brink of getting medical clearance to play once more and has been spotted running drills amid the rest of the first team in training.
When his potentially season-ending knock was confirmed, Barca received special permission to make a signing out of the closed transfer window, which didn’t necessarily have to be a goalkeeper.
Sporting Director Deco and President Joan Laporta did indeed decide to increase options between the sticks, however, which meant that Wojciech Szczesny was persuaded to come out of retirement and initially provide back up to Inaki Pena.
When the La Masia product arrived late for a meeting during the successful Spanish Super Cup campaign, however, ‘Tek’ became Hansi Flick’s number one shotstopper and hasn’t looked back since.
SPORT reports that Ter Stegen “aims to be called up for the Copa del Rey final” on Saturday, though, which pits Barca against its eternal rival Real Madrid in Seville.
It is of course highly unlikely that he starts after such a long time out, but AS separately reports that while Szczesny will be the Blaugrana’s ‘keeper for the Madrid affair and a Champions League semifinal show down with Inter Milan a few days later, Ter Stegen could be selected for a La Liga trip to Real Valladolid on May 3.
When players have been out for so long and then suddenly return, the Spanish press often deems them to be a ‘new signing’.
While Szczesny only signed a one-year contract, there are plans to extend his deal for another 12 months which means that competition for minutes between the Pole and skipper will go beyond this spring, when Barca is still in the running to seal a historic quadruple under coach that is in his maiden term in Spain.
On the horizon, US star Diego Kochen might soon provide competition to the aging pair while Pena considers his future.