Barcelona have stripped goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen of the club captaincy after opening disciplinary proceedings into their No 1 , as the extraordinary rift between the LaLiga giants and the German deepens.
The dispute comes after the 33-year-old was reportedly unwilling to sign a consent form permitting the club to sign him off as a long-term injury in order to exclude him from their salary registration.
After rupturing his patella tendon last September, Ter Stegen returned to full fitness before the end of the campaign but required further surgery on his lower back last month.
Barca signed 24-year-old goalkeeper Joan Garcia from local rivals Espanyol in July and were hopeful of offloading the veteran this summer. But his rehabilitation, in addition to his desire to remain at the Nou Camp and fight for his place, has scuppered the possibility of his departure.
The club instead took a different approach to make room in their wage bill for Garcia and Manchester United loanee Marcus Rashford, whose £315,000-a-week salary is being covered by the Catalan side.
Signing of a long-term medical leave would have allowed Barca to clear 80 per cent of his wages until mid-season and comply with La Liga’s Financial Fair Play rules. But Ter Stegen’s recent announcement on social media that he would be sidelined for three months – a month shorter than the absence required to be considered a long-term injury – has reportedly angered club management.
In a statement on Thursday, the club said: ‘FC Barcelona hereby announces that, following the disciplinary proceedings opened against player Marc-Andre ter Stegen, and until this matter is definitively resolved, the club, by mutual agreement with the Sporting Direction and the coaching staff, has decided to temporarily withdraw his role as first-team captain.
‘During this period, the duties of first captain will be assumed by the current vice-captain, Ronald Araujo.’
According to Marca, the Germany international has ‘no intention of changing his stance’ and remains ‘unfazed’ amid the pressure from the club.
In June, Spanish outlet Sport reported that Ter Stegen had accused figures of purposefully leaking information to damage his reputation in a desperate attempt to pressure him to leave of his own volition.
The outlet claimed that the stopper is refusing to be pushed out and is said to be shocked by the situation and ‘deeply hurt’, believing the developments to be a ‘direct attack’ on his ‘professional character’.
Last week, as many as six of his Barcelona colleagues came out in support of him as the club captain.
‘For me, Marc is the team captain, just as he was last season,’ said Frenkie de Jong after Barcelona’s 7-3 pre-season win over FC Seoul last Thursday.
‘Marc is a world-class player and has always given his all to the club, so I support Marc a lot, and from what I know, the team as well.’
