Ter Stegen shocked Barcelona’s management with a new decision: his refusal to sign his medical report, which was supposed to be submitted to La Liga.
The report includes his prognosis following back surgery and the expected length of his absence. This is significant because it confirms that he will be out of action for at least four months, allowing Barcelona to register another player in his place.
However, Mundo Deportivo reported that Ter Stegen informed the management that he would not sign this report, citing “personal medical data protection,” which completely closes the door to the possibility of obtaining La Liga’s exemption to register Juan Garcia or Marcus Rashford.
Stegen’s decision comes amid his stubbornness toward Barcelona’s management after their decision to release him. The German player is disappointed by the manner in which the announcement was made and the media pressure the club exerted against him. He has therefore decided to take revenge in several ways, including continuing with the team and receiving his high salary, and finally, by refusing to sign the medical report.
According to the Catalan newspaper, Barcelona considers Stegen’s refusal to sign the report to be “disobedience causing serious harm to the club,” and is therefore preparing to take a series of disciplinary measures against him.
According to La Liga’s agreement with the players’ union, Stegen’s behavior is considered a serious violation, punishable by a penalty that could include the full termination of his contract, suspension from work, and a significant salary deduction, in addition to financial fines that could reach a 35% reduction, with a maximum of €340,000.
It’s worth noting that Ter Stegen’s decision is a first in Barcelona’s history, as no player has ever refused to share their medical data under such circumstances. Barcelona has previously experienced similar situations with Andreas Christensen and Ronald Araujo, with La Liga’s medical committee then able to register new players after proving the length of time the injured player had been out.
