The fears have been confirmed: Marc-André ter Stegen will be out for several months with a torn patella tendon.
The diagnosis was communicated by FC Barcelona on Monday afternoon: Marc-André ter Stegen has a complete tear in the right patella tendon. The patellar tendon, also known as the knee ligament, connects the lower part of the kneecap to the shin. The 32-year-old is scheduled to undergo surgery that same afternoon. He had already missed the 2021 European Championship due to surgery on the patellar tendon.
“Ter Stegen could be out for up to eight months,” wrote the Spanish sports newspaper Mundo Deportivo. The German national keeper had risen after a corner shortly before the end of the first half in the game at FC Villarreal (5-1) on Sunday evening and twisted his right leg without any contact from an opponent when he landed. His own and opposing players immediately signaled that medical attention was necessary. Ter Stegen was taken off the field on a stretcher.
Who will be the goalkeeper for Germany in the Nations League?
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick had already said on DAZN after the game that he believed “that it is a serious injury”: “You could see that immediately when he was on the field.” The former national coach was proved right and will now have to rely on Inaki Pena, who came on as a substitute in Villarreal (13 La Liga games so far). First against Getafe, at CA Osasuna (Saturday, 9 p.m.) and then in the Champions League against BSC Young Boys (October 1, 9 p.m.).
Flick’s successor at the DFB, Julian Nagelsmann, will also be concerned about the injury. With Manuel Neuer’s retirement from the national team, ter Stegen had now moved up to the first line after years of waiting.
It is still unclear who will be between the posts for Germany in the next Nations League duels with Bosnia-Herzegovina (October 11, 8:45 p.m.) and the Netherlands (October 14, 8:45 p.m.). Oliver Baumann, who came in as number 3 at the European Championship, would be the first choice, as would Alexander Nübel.