Instead of regularly like so many people from football to Ibiza, Hansi Flick regularly draws on the small neighboring island of Formentera during the days off. There he is supposed to entertain a holiday home, from Barcelona he could take a ferry that reaches the island in cozy eleven hours. It is not known which means of transport he has now chosen for his vacation, but it can be considered relatively certain that the coach of the Spanish Doubles win was severely disturbed in his summer break rest on Sunday evening. Hansi Flick should not have delighted that Julian Nagelsmann spoke to him publicly.
Nagelsmann was asked about the game in Stuttgart whether the rumors about Marc-André Ter Stegen and his confusing situation at FC Barcelona were worried. The national coach gave a surprising answer by supporting ter Stegen in the cold but obvious conflict with the association and also addressing a moral appeal to Hansi Flick. Without calling the predecessor by name, it is clear enough that everyone could understand it. The location of the goalkeeper in the club is “super heavy, because I can only get it from the media and do not know what truth it has,” said Nagelsmann, “I would still like to get information about how it goes on because of the past of individual protagonists and the connection to the national team. Nagelsmann obviously believes that Flick has a certain obligation to clarify ter Stegen about his status in the team and the plans of the association.
For two weeks it has been spread in Catalan media that the 33 -year -old goalkeeper is no longer desirable at FC Barcelona. Joan Garcia, who was nine for nine years younger, is scheduled to receive the place in the gate. Its takeover from the neighboring club Espanyol by means of a 25 million euro exit clause is said to be briefly imminent, and this is a strategic decision for the club. Newspapers and radio stations report every day with new details, including those who move ter Stegen’s teamwork in dubious light. The suspicion of a campaign is obvious. The fact that the first -hand person affected does not experience anything about his case is typical of those maneuvers and for the football business.
“Nobody spoke” with him, Ter Stegen had explained at the beginning of the training week in the national team’s district. There was also no exchange with Hansi Flick, he added, and nothing has changed until Pentecost. At the same time, it is also known in DFB circles that Flick is under great pressure despite great sporting success, also with regard to the precarious club finances. Ter Stegen, contract until 2028, is one of the major earners in Barcelona, Garcia would collect significantly less.
In order to “don’t worry,” says Nagelsmann – a truth that is visible to every visible truth
Is Nagelsmann’s interference of speechlessness helps? Nagelsmann assured his commitment with his official interest in a stable goalkeeper solution for the national team, “it is a wish that I have for Marc”, after all, it is a “very sensitive topic”. What cannot be denied: After eleven years at FC Barcelona, the goalkeeper is also concerned with the further career also about the relationship with the club and topics such as trust and loyalty. And, in no way, for a father’s situation.
In addition to his sporting future, Ter Stegen needs “not to worry,” said Nagelsmann, referring to the two games in the Nations League. The latter was not an expression of courtesy, but the truth that is visible to every visible. After the serious injury (patella tendon tear) with eight months of the break, Flick only granted the goalkeeper two league missions, otherwise he continued to share Wojciech Szczesny, 35. But the lack of game practice did not show ter Stegen, in the match against France he was the outstanding German player. Loïc Badé, Kylian Mbappé, Marcus Thuram, Désiré Doué – they all failed against him at a high level.
Nagelsmann nevertheless emphasized that the uncertainty had certainly “busy”. Especially since a world championship is imminent next year. A German goalkeeper who was able to guard the FC Barcelona goal for so many years has achieved a lot. But a tournament with the national team has not yet been granted, Manuel Neuer always had the lead, also at the 2022 World Cup, when Hansi Flick, as a national coach, was responsible for the squad. When winning the Confed Cup 2017, Ter Stegen had only stood on a secondary stage of Nations football; And the mini-mini-European Championship in Munich and Stuttgart, which was now finished, was in a sporty way “not as great”, as attacker Karim Adeyemi aptly put it. The World Cup in overseas next summer should actually be the highlight in Ter Stegen’s long but very sporadic career as a national goalkeeper.
But now there may be an obstacle in the way that also affects Nagelsmann’s considerations. Oliver Baumann and Alexander Nübel are goalkeepers from format, but not from the format ter Stegens. However, if this stays in Barcelona, even though the club wants to replace it, the replacement bank threatens. If he agreed to a change, he would not only have to find an adequate address, but also adapt to a new environment. For the time being, he can trust the support of Julian Nagelsmann. Its predecessor will have to comment in four weeks at the latest, on July 12th the holidays at FC Barcelona will end.