Ter Stegen to Make Comeback in Barça’s Clash Against Valladolid
FC Barcelona’s German goalkeeper, Marc-André Ter Stegen, is ready to make his much-anticipated return to the pitch this Saturday against Valladolid after being sidelined since September with a knee injury. Head coach Hansi Flick confirmed the exciting news on Friday, saying, “Ter Stegen will be the starting goalkeeper against Valladolid.”
The main man between the posts for Barça, Ter Stegen suffered a serious right knee injury—a patellar tendon tear—last September. Flick expressed confidence in his recovery, stating, “the performance of Ter Stegen in training has been fantastic. I have no doubts. He’s at a good level to play.”
This change means Wojciech Szczesny, who has been holding down the fort for the past seven months, will finally get some well-deserved rest ahead of the Champions League semi-final return match against Inter Milan next Tuesday, following a thrilling 3-3 draw in the first leg in Barcelona.
While Flick was tight-lipped about the recovery statuses of defender Alejandro Balde and forward Robert Lewandowski, he did mention that full-back Jules Koundé has already been ruled out. “They are also progressing well, but patience is required,” he noted.
Before heading to Milan, FC Barcelona will take on Valladolid on Saturday evening in the 34th round of La Liga, facing a club fighting against relegation while aiming to solidify their position at the top of the league.
