What Happened to Marc-Andre Ter Stegen? La Liga Injury Explained

FC Barcelona have kickstarted their 2024-25 La Liga campaign on a roll, recording six wins out of six games. Nevertheless, the Blaugrana’s season has been riddled with fitness issues, with multiple players contracting concerning blows in recent times. The latest to join Barcelona’s injury list is captain Marc-Andre Ter Stegen. The German goalkeeper was stretchered off in their 5-1 victory over Villarreal, causing fans to worry about his condition. But what actually happened to Ter Stegen?

Here are all the available details regarding the veteran shot-stopper’s ailment, including his estimated date of return.

How did Marc-Andre Ter Stegen get injured while playing soccer?

The 32-year-old goalkeeper hurt his right knee after landing awkwardly while claiming the ball from a corner. As per the latest injury update, Marc-Andre Ter Stegen has suffered from a complete rupture in the patella tendon of his right knee.

Ter Stegen was coming off a disappointing display in his Champions League’s 2-1 loss to AS Monaco. The seasoned footballer was at fault for misplacing a pass, which eventually led to the sending-off of Eric Garcia. The Blaugrana captain bounced back in style, making several spectacular saves in the first half of his side’s bout against Villarreal.

Nevertheless, Marc-Andre Ter Stegen soon contracted an injury, leading to his premature exit from the game. As such, he was replaced by his understudy, Inaki Pena, who guarded Barcelona’s goal in his stead for the remainder of the match.

When will Marc-Andre Ter Stegen return to play with FC Barcelona?

At the time of writing, the exact period for which Marc-Andre Ter Stegen will be out due to his injury remains unclear. However, according to an ESPN report, the 2015 UCL winner is expected to be sidelined for close to eight months.

In a post-match conference, coach Hansi Flick expanded upon what had happened to Ter Stegen. Flick stated that the German’s ailment looked “huge and serious” but failed to provide any information on his expected return. The club later confirmed in an official update that Marc-Andre Ter Stegen will undergo surgery to tend to his injury.

The Barcelona captain joins a plethora of first-team teammates who are currently spending time on the treatment table. Aside from new signing Dani Olmo, the extended injury list also includes Ronald Araujo, Andreas Christensen, Marc Bernal, Frenkie de Jong, Gavi, and Fermin Lopez.