Marc-André ter Stegen has been restored as Barcelona’s captain after a dramatic twist in the Barcelona 24-Hour Captaincy Drama that saw him stripped of the armband and then reinstated within a single day. The club also dropped disciplinary action against him.
The Barcelona 24-Hour Captaincy Drama started when the German goalkeeper, who joined the club from Borussia Monchengladbach in 2014, underwent back surgery in July. Reports claimed Barcelona could have cleared 80% of his wages until mid-season if he had been declared a long-term absentee, freeing up financial space to register new signings.
Under La Liga rules, a player must be out for at least four months to be classified as a long-term absentee. Ter Stegen, however, posted on social media that he would only be out for three months, which meant he did not meet the requirement.
Adding to the tension in the Barcelona 24-Hour Captaincy Drama, Ter Stegen reportedly refused to let Barcelona share his medical details with La Liga. This led the club to take the surprising step of removing him as captain on Thursday.
In a major turnaround, the Barcelona 24-Hour Captaincy Drama took a positive twist when Ter Stegen signed forms giving Barcelona permission to send his medical report to La Liga. On Friday, he shared a social media message saying he was “fully willing to collaborate with the club’s management” to solve the matter and give the requested authorisation.
Ter Stegen denied that his injury situation was being used as a tool to register new players, calling the claim “both unfair and inaccurate.” “All the club’s signings and contract renewals were completed before my surgery,” he said. “At no point did I believe my case would be necessary for the registration of other colleagues. I respect them greatly and look forward to sharing the locker room with them for many seasons.”
The Barcelona 24-Hour Captaincy Drama also showed how off-field issues can quickly escalate in football. Ter Stegen admitted that difficult situations can create tension but insisted that “dialogue and responsibility” could resolve matters.
Barcelona’s summer business has included signing goalkeeper Joan Garcia from Espanyol and bringing in Marcus Rashford on loan from Manchester United. Ter Stegen, now in his 11th season at the club, has made more than 400 appearances, winning the Champions League, six La Liga titles, and many other trophies.
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Flick Banned for Champions League Opener as Barcelona 24-Hour Captaincy Drama Unfolds
While the Barcelona 24-Hour Captaincy Drama dominated headlines, Barcelona also faced another setback. Manager Hansi Flick will miss the team’s first Champions League match of the season after being handed a one-match ban and a £17,000 fine by UEFA.
The ban comes from comments Flick made after Barcelona’s 4-3 loss to Inter Milan in the second leg of last season’s Champions League semi-final. That defeat meant a 7-6 loss on aggregate. Flick was critical of several refereeing decisions, which led UEFA’s disciplinary committee to act.
His assistant, Marcus Sorg, received the same punishment. With the first round of the Champions League group stage scheduled between 16 and 18 September, Flick will have to watch from the stands.
Flick, appointed in June 2024, enjoyed an outstanding first season, winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Spanish Super Cup. But the Barcelona 24-Hour Captaincy Drama, coupled with his suspension, has created unwanted early-season turbulence for the club.
On top of that, UEFA fined forwards Lamine Yamal and Robert Lewandowski £4,300 each for not immediately reporting to a doping control area after the same match against Inter Milan. While there was no suggestion of doping, their delay in following the process brought the fines.
The Barcelona 24-Hour Captaincy Drama highlights how quickly the mood around a club can change. In just one day, Barcelona went from punishing one of their most senior players to restoring him as captain. The rapid reversal suggests that cooler heads prevailed after intense internal discussions.
With Flick banned, players fined, and the Barcelona 24-Hour Captaincy Drama finally resolved, the focus will now shift back to the pitch. Barcelona will be aiming for a strong start in La Liga and the Champions League despite the distractions.
For Ter Stegen, the next step after the Barcelona 24-Hour Captaincy Drama is to recover from back surgery and return to lead the team. As one of Barcelona’s most experienced and respected players, his leadership will be vital for the challenges ahead.
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