Marc-André ter Stegen’s chances of participating in the World Cup for Germany are in jeopardy following a hamstring injury sustained against Girona.
Marc-André ter Stegen’s aspirations for the World Cup have encountered a significant hurdle due to a hamstring injury that is expected to keep him out for an extended duration, sources have informed ESPN.
According to sources, Ter Stegen, currently on loan at Girona from Barcelona, is awaiting the final outcomes of tests regarding the injury, with both clubs engaged in discussions about the most appropriate course of action.
With surgery being a possibility and the potential for him to be sidelined for over two months, one scenario involves him returning to Barça less than two weeks after joining Girona in pursuit of regular playing time to secure his position in Germany’s World Cup roster.
“I just heard the news,” Barça coach Hansi Flick stated during a press conference on Monday when asked if Ter Stegen would need to go back to the LaLiga leaders.
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“I haven’t spoken with him, but I feel very sorry for him. However, we must wait for the results and see what unfolds.”
Ter Stegen, 33, has faced a series of serious injuries since Flick took over as Barça coach in 2024, which led to him losing his position in the lineup to Joan García.
A knee injury restricted him to just nine appearances across all competitions last season, while he was absent for the first four months of the current season following back surgery.
He made his return in the Copa del Rey against Guadalajara in December, subsequently joining Girona last month and starting their last two matches against Getafe and Real Oviedo.
The German international, who has made over 400 appearances for Barça since his arrival in 2014, now faces a tense wait to determine the implications of this latest injury on his World Cup ambitions.
In the meantime, Barça has also announced that Raphinha will be out for a week due to a thigh strain, which will exclude him from Tuesday’s Copa del Rey quarterfinal against Albacete and possibly Saturday’s league match at home against Mallorca.
The Brazilian had previously missed nine games this season due to injury and was also unavailable for the defeat against Real Sociedad last month as Barça sought to manage his playing time.
“I am not pleased with this,” Flick remarked regarding Raphinha’s recent injury. “He is a crucial player. We need to evaluate what changes we need to make and what he needs to adjust.”
“We will discuss that in the coming days. It’s significant. This is a critical phase of the season, and we require every player to be available; his absence is not beneficial.”
Barça’s schedule is busy, beginning with Tuesday’s match against second division team Albacete, who caused upsets against Real Madrid and Celta Vigo in earlier rounds to reach the quarterfinals of the Copa.
“This is why we all cherish these competitions due to the unexpected outcomes,” Flick commented when asked if the Madrid result would act as a cautionary tale. “Albacete has nothing to lose, only to gain.”
“The two previous matches are essential to analyze what they did well or what the opponents did poorly, Real and Celta. We must adapt to this. It’s about the mentality and attitude tomorrow, and how we approach the game.”
