Barcelona captain Marc-Andre ter Stegen explained that it was not easy to leave the club, even if it had only been six months since he joined Girona on loan. The German stopper has been benched in favor of Joan Garcia at the Camp Nou this season, and is looking for regular game time.
The Blaugrana are expected to pay the bulk of ter Stegen’s salary for the rest of the season, when he will return to the Camp Nou. Girona are expected to say goodbye to Dominik Livakovic, while ter Stegen is expected to be in the starting line-up ahead of current starter Paulo Gazzaniga. The 33-year-old has two years left on his Barcelona contract.
Ter Stegen confirms that the move is for game time
Ter Stegen is hoping to start Germany at the World Cup for the first time in his career this summer, but Germany Sporting Director Rudi Voller and manager Julian Nagelsmann have both publicly announced that he needs to play regular football to do so. In his presentation, ter Stegen confirmed that he was behind the original role.
“After the injury, I wanted to return to the field as soon as possible,” he told Sport.
“The manager’s decision must be respected; I always told him I was there, but they chose Joan, who did a good job, and I respect her completely. I have a very good relationship with Joan, even if you don’t think so. I wanted to play, and I thank the manager for playing me in the Cup to show that I am worthy. I always have consistent goals, and I play for a long time.”
🚨 OFFICIAL: The tests carried out this morning confirmed that Pedri González has injured his right hamstring, which he suffered during the match against Slavia Prague yesterday. Recovery time is expected to be one month. [@FCBarcelona] 🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/yVj8mGkDNm
– barcacentre (@barcacentre) January 22, 2026
Ter Stegen: ‘It’s a big change after 12 years’
Arriving as a 21-year-old, ter Stegen is now leading the club for just the second time. It is reported that he was emotionally upset when he said goodbye to the Barcelona team on Tuesday.
“Saying goodbye was very difficult. The Barca dressing room is amazing, I really enjoyed being there. Finally, it’s a big change, almost 12 years in that club. I have memories that I will never forget and I will always carry in my heart. I was the captain of FC Barcelona and I always try to represent the club in the best way. My arrival has been difficult to remember all the veterans of the Girls. I helped Stuani give me a list of all the penalties, thank you Stuani.”
“Leaving our partners [was the hardest thing]we had a very close relationship. It’s hard to leave the locker room, to leave the goalkeeper coach I had from the beginning. After saying goodbye, you take the weight off your shoulders. I will always have good memories of them, and I will go back to being one in the summer.”
Eric Garcia advised ter Stegen on the move
He is not the first player to make a similar switch in recent years, with Eric Garcia spending a very successful year on loan at Montilivi under Michel Sanchez. He helped the Catalan team finish in third place.
“He loved being here. He told me that I would feel welcome because this club is like a family. Now he is an important player for Barca because he made the right decision; he can be an example for me in that.”
