Marc-Andre ter Stegen has been stripped of the Barcelona captaincy and faces disciplinary proceedings due to his back injury.
The 33-year-old goalkeeper announced last month he would undergo back surgery and be sidelined for three months.
What happened?
Barcelona have opened disciplinary proceedings against Ter Stegen for not signing a medical document detailing his injury.
This document is required to take advantage of a La Liga rule allowing the club to replace his registration with another player.
The club has described the measure as “temporary” with Ronald Araujo taking over as captain.
Why it matters for Marc-Andre ter Stegen
Ter Stegen's announcement caused a stir inside the club, prompting some board members to want him stripped of the armband.
The Germany international has always been determined to stay at Barcelona, despite reports of a potential transfer.
What comes next?
Ter Stegen joined Barcelona from Borussia Monchengladbach in 2014 and has made 422 appearances for the club.
He has won six La Liga titles, six Copas del Rey, and the Champions League in 2015.
Barcelona completed the signing of goalkeeper Joan Garcia in a €25million deal from Espanyol.
Wojciech Szczesny has signed a two-year contract extension at the Camp Nou, but neither player has been registered yet.
Ter Stegen missed the majority of the 2024-25 campaign after suffering a serious right knee injury against Villarreal in September.
He returned to action in May and started two of his side’s final five La Liga matches.
Inaki Pena initially deputised for Ter Stegen, with former Juventus goalkeeper Szczesny coming out of retirement in October.
Szczesny established himself as Hansi Flick’s first-choice No 1 after Pena was dropped in January for being late for team meetings.
Ter Stegen was named club captain ahead of the 2024-25 season, but his future at the club is now uncertain.
And the club's decision to strip him of the captaincy has raised questions about his long-term prospects.
But Ter Stegen has always been committed to Barcelona, and it remains to be seen how this situation will unfold.
So the coming weeks will be crucial in determining the future of one of Barcelona's most experienced players.
Ter Stegen's back surgery is scheduled to take place soon, and he will be sidelined for three months.
The club will have to navigate this period without their first-choice goalkeeper, and it may impact their league performance.
As of August 7, 2025, Ter Stegen's future at Barcelona remains uncertain, with the disciplinary proceedings ongoing.