Ter Stegen refuses blame over Barca's FFP woes
Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen hit back at suggestions he is to blame for the club's inability to register new players, insisting that his back surgery and recovery timeline were fully approved by the club.
The 33-year-old German's three-month rehabilitation schedule has created an unexpected headache for Barcelona, which had hoped to use his injury to ease its Financial Fair Play constraints under LaLiga rules.
Barcelona had asked him to sign a long-term medical leave that would allow it to clear 80 per cent of his wages until mid-season and comply with LaLiga's Financial Fair Play rules, thereby allowing it to register new players.
But Ter Stegen's announcement on social media that he would be sidelined for only three months irked the club management as LaLiga rules require a player to remain out of action for at least four months to be considered a long-term injury.
"The decision to undergo surgery was made after consultation with medical professionals and fully approved by the club," a statement from Ter Stegen on his social media channels read.
"Moreover, I announced publicly the minimum recovery timing that I shall need after that, which had been communicated to me by most reputed experts and always in coordination with the club."
The announcement came a day after he was stripped of the club's captaincy.
But Barcelona has since reinstated him as first-team captain after announcing on Saturday (AEST) that the goalkeeper has authorised the club to send his medical report to LaLiga.
"The Club announces that the player Marc-Andre ter Stegen has signed the authorisation necessary for the Club to send La Liga the medical report relating to his surgery," a Barcelona statement read.
"The disciplinary case has been closed and the player is captain of the first team once again with immediate effect."
Barca signed 24-year-old goalkeeper Joan Garcia from local rival Espanyol last month while Marcus Rashford was signed on loan from Manchester United.
However, both players are yet to be registered with the new LaLiga season kicking off on 16 August (AEST).
"I would also like to clarify – in light of certain speculation – that all of the club's signings and contract renewals were completed prior to my surgery," Ter Stegen added.
"Therefore at no point could I consider that my unfortunate circumstances with the new surgery I had to undergo would be necessary for the registration of other colleagues ... Any alternative interpretation seems both unfair and inaccurate to me.
"I understand that difficult moments can generate tension, but I trust through dialogue and responsibility we can resolve this situation constructively. I am fully willing to collaborate with the club's management to resolve the matter and provide the requested authorisation."
The controversy highlights Barcelona's financial struggles as it battles to register new signings once again.
Last season, the club approached Spain's National Sports Council to allow it to field Dani Olmo and Pau Victor until the end of the season after LaLiga said it did not have the capacity to register the two players based on its accounts.
