Marc-André ter Stegen faces a significant blow to his World Cup aspirations after suffering a hamstring injury, which will keep him sidelined for an extended period, according to sources reported by ESPN.
Insiders indicate that Ter Stegen, currently on loan at Girona from Barcelona, is awaiting the results of tests to determine the extent of his injury. The two clubs are currently discussing the best way to proceed.
With surgery being a possibility and the prospect of more than two months off the pitch, one option may be that he returns to Barça just weeks after signing with Girona in hopes of securing regular playtime to maintain his place in Germany‘s World Cup squad.
“I just heard the news,” said Barça coach Hansi Flick during a press conference on Monday regarding Ter Stegen’s situation. “I didn’t speak with him, but I am very sorry for him. We have to wait for the test results and see what happens.”
Since Flick’s tenure as Barça coach began in 2024, Ter Stegen, 33, has struggled with injuries, losing his first-choice position to Joan García. Last season, a knee injury limited him to just nine matches across all competitions, while he missed the first four months of the ongoing season following back surgery.
He made his return in the Copa del Rey against Guadalajara in December and joined Girona last month, featuring in their last two outings against Getafe and Real Oviedo.
The German international has made over 400 appearances for Barça since joining in 2014 and now faces an uncertain wait to learn how this latest injury could impact his chances of participating in the upcoming World Cup.
In addition, Barça has announced that Raphinha is expected to be out for a week due to a thigh strain, sidelining him for Tuesday’s Copa del Rey quarterfinal against Albacete and potentially for Saturday’s league match against Mallorca.
The Brazilian had previously missed nine games this season because of injuries and was also unavailable for Barça’s defeat against Real Sociedad last month as the club aimed to manage his playing time.
“I am not happy with this,” Flick remarked about Raphinha’s injury. “He is a very important player. We need to assess what adjustments need to be made going forward.”
“It’s essential to keep everyone fit, particularly as we enter a crucial phase of the season.”
Barcelona now faces a hectic fixture schedule, starting with Tuesday’s away match against Albacete, who have made surprising upsets against both Real Madrid and Celta Vigo in earlier rounds to reach the Copa quarterfinals.
“This is what makes these competitions exciting—unexpected outcomes,” Flick commented when asked if the results against Madrid would serve as a cautionary tale. “Albacete has nothing to lose, only potential gains.”
“We will review the previous matches to find out what they did well or what our opponents didn’t do well, and we need to adapt accordingly. It’s all about mentality and attitude going into the game tomorrow.”