For the past year and a half, Marc-André ter Stegen has not played for FC Barcelona. Injured throughout last season after a brief appearance in August, the German goalkeeper was recovering from a serious knee injury. He made a partial return towards the end of the season, competing with Wojciech Szczesny for the starting position. This summer, the arrival of Joan Garcia at Barça clearly clouded the German goalkeeper's future. No longer part of coach Hansi Flick's plans, who decided to make Szczesny the Spaniard's backup, the 33-year-old had to find a way out.
A debut marked by a superb save at the end of the match
While being monitored by English clubs, the concrete lead pointed to another Catalan club: Girona. A club of lesser stature for Ter Stegen, who, despite the presence of Dominik Livakovic and Paulo Gazzaniga, was guaranteed to play for the club that was still in the Champions League last season and is now fighting to avoid relegation in Spain. Officially signed last week on loan, the German goalkeeper was expected to start on Monday against Getafe. Starting in goal, the German delivered a mixed performance
Despite conceding the opening goal, a goal he could do nothing about, and for which he was criticized for his now-famous signature pose—freezing in front of a powerful shot with his arm raised, a gesture that had drawn considerable criticism in Catalonia—Ter Stegen showcased several of his qualities. Beyond his consistently accurate footwork, the German distinguished himself with a crucial save in the dying seconds of the match. After Vitor Reis's precious equalizer, the 33-year-old goalkeeper stopped a Boselli shot by immobilizing the ball with his knee. This incredible save marked the best possible start for the number 22 at Montilivi.
Media, social networks, coaches…everyone is going crazy for ter Stegen
After the match, his coach Michel was effusive in his praise of his new goalkeeper's debut: " Ter Stegen... I'm lucky to have three excellent goalkeepers, and Marc made a fantastic debut. He brings a lot to the team in terms of play; he uses both feet, he has excellent vision, there are few like him, and he contributes enormously. Starting him was my decision, the coach's decision, because he's a great player who will bring us a lot, and in training this week, he showed he was ready to play. Marc-André has been a major figure in football for the last ten or fifteen years, and I think he's the best thing for the team. "
For their part, the Spanish media were also thrilled by Ter Stegen's debut. While Marca referred to his late save as a "goal," Mundo Deportivo described the German goalkeeper's performance as exceptional. In only his second match of the season, Ter Stegen made a strong impression, even back in Germany, where he can still aim for a place in the World Cup squad in the Americas. Sky Germany praised his performance, while Bild spoke of a promising start for the goalkeeper on loan from Barcelona. Kicker also took note of the positive reviews in Spain for the goalkeeper's debut at Girona. As you can see, everything is going perfectly for Ter Stegen at Girona.