Champions League: Ter Stegen returns to Barça’s squad

Eintracht Frankfurt’s Champions League game at FC Barcelona this Tuesday (9 p.m., Dazn) is likely to be a premiere. Barça coach Hansi Flick, 60, said on Monday that DFB goalkeeper Marc André ter Stegen, 33, “could” be called up to the Catalans’ squad for the first time this season.

Ter Stegen was one of three goalkeepers who took part in the final training session at Barça’s training center in Sant Joan Despí on Monday, alongside Barça’s number one, Joan García, and substitute Wojciech Szczesny. Ter Stegen is due to be certified healthy again on Tuesday.

“Joan García is number one, that’s clear,” says Flick

The German national goalkeeper had to undergo back surgery for the second time in his career in the summer. At the same time, the club had signed García from local rivals Espanyol Barcelona. This led to a falling out between Stegen and the club, which has eased in recent weeks. But the situation remains tricky in that Ter Stegen knows he has lost his place as Barça’s starting goalkeeper. “Joan García is number one, that’s clear,” said Flick on Monday when asked whether Ter Stegen’s recovery presented him with a dilemma.

This affects ter Stegen’s World Cup prospects – and Julian Nagelsmann’s plans. The national coach had originally decided on Ter Stegen as the German number one. On the sidelines of the Nations League last summer, Nagelsmann ter Stegen publicly supported the conflict with Barça and also addressed Flick personally. “I would like, also because of the past of individual protagonists and the connection to the DFB and to Marc, that he would receive information about what happens next,” the 38-year-old said.

Before the German national team’s last international matches this year, in which Oliver Baumann, 35, from TSG Hoffenheim was in goal, Nagelsmann made up his mind on one thing: if Ter Stegen wanted to go to the World Cup, he had to play regularly and well. All in all, this means that Ter Stegen only has a real chance of returning to the national team if he leaves Barça in the winter. Flick simply said on Monday that he was “constantly” in touch with Ter Stegen. However, there is “no contact” with Nagelsmann.