National team coach backs Barcelona captain for starting role despite patchy display – ‘Spoke to Flick and…’ | OneFootball

A lot of noise has been made around Marc-Ter Stegen’s incompetence in serving as a Barcelona goalkeeper, more so after his return from injury.

The player was initially injured in the team’s win over Villarreal in La Liga in September, forcing the club to make a new signing in Wojciech Szczesny.

The Polish star has shone in goal all season for the Catalans, and it now appears fundamental to the success of the team to have a world-class shot-stopper.

Heading into next season, however, it looks set that Ter Stegen will return to his usual starting role under Hansi Flick, especially with Szczesny’s future uncertain.

Nagelsmann’s declaration

Speaking to the media (h/t SPORT), the manager of the German national team, Julian Nagelsmann, spoke about the Barcelona star’s situation and return to fitness and confirmed that he trusts him as the national team’s number one goalkeeper.

Marc-Andre ter Stegen will be Germany’s first-choice keeper. (Photo by Christof Koepsel/Getty Images)

“Ter Stegen is our number one option. I spoke with Flick, he told me that Marc’s form has been outstanding. We’re looking forward to having him back.”

Needless to say, this comes as a massive development for Ter Stegen, who only earned a starting spot for the German team after Euro 2024 when Manuel Neuer hung up his boots.

He then played two Nations League games for the national team in September and was injured two weeks later.

Having missed all of the German team’s games since then, it looked set that Ter Stegen would lose his place as a starter just months after earning it.

Nagelsmann’s words, thus, come as a massive reassurance for the player and show how much faith the coach places in Ter Stegen despite his lack of match fitness.

Since returning from injury, the German star has started two games for Barcelona and has conceded four goals in that duration. It remains to be seen if he starts the team’s final game of the season ahead of Wojciech Szczesny.