Ter Stegen's pressure to start at Barça and doubts surrounding a very sensitive position

Barça's goalkeeping position is a hot potato . However, Barça doesn't seem to be considering making any signings that would pose significant competition for Ter Stegen or Wojciech Szczesny. At 33 years old and having suffered a complete rupture of the patellar tendon in his right knee, the German goalkeeper stirred up the media in his country to remind Hansi Flick that he is one of the first-team captains and demanded playing time and confidence before the end of the season.

Flick responded to his call after public pressure from his compatriot. With La Liga on track barring a catastrophe, the FC Barcelona coach gave him his first opportunity after seven months on the back foot against Real Valladolid. The Catalans struggled to come back, and Ter Stegen raised many eyebrows when he failed to stop the home side's first goal , with a strange impact after hitting a Barça defender.

That wasn't the only cause for concern for the German, as his blocking didn't convey confidence, nor did his high and low runs . However, with Szczesny starting in the Champions League and in the decisive Clásico in LaLiga , ter Stegen was once again the Barça goalkeeper against Villarreal. The result of the match, with LaLiga already won, was three shots on goal for Villarreal and three goals for the Yellow Submarine, one with Ter Stegen coming off very poorly.

Doubts about ter Stegen's level

Similarly, after a remarkable season, Szczesny has also been criticized in recent weeks, and he has yet to respond to the renewal offer. No one in Barcelona has forgotten Yan Sommer's goalkeeping performance . during the tie between Inter Milan and Barça. The Polish goalkeeper was retired when Barça came to his home to convince him to change his mind, and, faced with ter Stegen's injury and little confidence in Iñaki Peña, Szczesny put down his gloves and boots at the age of 35.

His level has been high, but not superlative. In a team that takes as many defensive risks as Barça, placing its line in the opponent's midfield in every match, the goalkeeper chosen by Flick must be close to excellence. The question, therefore, is whether Ter Stegen can be the same at 33 years old and after a very serious injury. In the first two matches, he has shown an alarming lack of agility, solidity, and security , but the lack of training and flying time are also enormous.

Barça prioritizes other positions

"I know they're talking about improving each and every one of the lines . The goalkeeping issue... Why did we sign Tek ? Because Iñaki was doing well, but Deco and the coach were asking for experience and I think it's turned out quite well and we hope he continues, but he's more in his own field than ours. Our intention is for him to stay ," Laporta replied on TV3 regarding the future of the goalkeeping.

With Iñaki Peña already half out of Barça and more interested in strengthening the forward line than the goalkeeper, only a "no" from Szczesny could shake up the current situation. The club hopes that Ter Stegen, one of the few veterans in the squad, can regain his pre-injury form and that Szczesny will renew his contract so he can focus his efforts on other areas of the pitch.