Barcelona goalkeeper and captain Marc-Andre ter Stegen faces a long spell on the sidelines after suffering a serious knee injury during the team’s 5-1 win over Villarreal.
The 32-year-old was stretchered off after tearing the patellar tendon in his right knee, an injury that could keep him out for at least eight months.
This setback is a major blow to Barcelona, who have won all six of their La Liga matches so far, opening up a four-point lead over rivals Real Madrid.
The club will know more about the exact recovery timeline following further tests in a Catalan hospital.
Under current rules, Barca can sign a free agent as a temporary replacement if Ter Stegen is ruled out for more than four months, with options like former Real Madrid keeper Keylor Navas and Loris Karius available.
However, they cannot sign a player from another club due to a rule change following the controversial Martin Braithwaite signing in 2020.
Manager Hansi Flick is also grappling with other injuries to key players like Gavi, Frenkie de Jong, and Andreas Christensen, leaving the squad stretched thin.
Inaki Pena, a 25-year-old academy graduate, stepped in for Ter Stegen in the Villarreal match but replacing their long-time number one will be a significant challenge for Barcelona as they look to continue their strong start to the season.
Article updated 2 months ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
