It seems that Ter Stegen’s crises at Barcelona will not stop. After his refusal to leave during the summer transfer window, and then the crisis surrounding his expected absence following back surgery, a new crisis has emerged over the captaincy.
Barcelona had decided to strip Ter Stegen of the captaincy after a statement specifying his absence for three months. This was solely to prevent the club from registering any new signings. La Liga regulations only grant the club this right if the player is absent for more than four months.
According to Sport, there is a state of great anger within the Barcelona dressing room, with the players refusing to let the club intervene and strip Ter Stegen of the captaincy. They consider the selection of a captain an internal matter that no official has the right to make decisions about.
Not only did the anger toward the board remain unabated, but a number of Barcelona players also contacted Ter Stegen and affirmed their support for his position at the club. They also informed him of their commitment to continuing as team captain and their refusal to vote for any other player when Hansi Flick announced new elections.
The situation as a whole stunned Barcelona’s management, who had expected the players to support them in their decisions against Ter Stegen. However, the Blaugrana stars adhere to the tradition of “seniority” in determining the captaincy, and they believe that any change could ultimately lead to a major threat to their rights in the future.
Ultimately, Flick has not made a final decision regarding the captaincy and Ter Stegen, although the board has given the coach the right to choose the new captain and change the old rules. This is expected to cause a major crisis in the dressing room unless Flick can contain the situation.
It’s worth noting that Rafinha is the most likely candidate among Barcelona’s players to be the new captain next season, followed by Ronald Araujo.
