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Wafric News | May 3, 2025

After nearly eight months on the sidelines, Barcelona's veteran goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen is set to make his long-awaited return to action this Saturday when the Catalan giants face struggling Real Valladolid in La Liga.

Head coach Hansi Flick confirmed on Friday that the 33-year-old German international will start the match — marking his first appearance since suffering a ruptured patella tendon in his right knee during a clash against Villarreal early in the season.

“Marc is on the right track and has been training at a very high level,” Flick said in his pre-match briefing. “He’s ready, and he’ll be in goal tomorrow.”

Ter Stegen, who underwent surgery and endured a lengthy recovery period, was named in the squad for last week’s Copa del Rey final victory over Real Madrid, but remained on the bench. His comeback now sees him replace Wojciech Szczesny, the experienced Polish shot-stopper who temporarily came out of retirement to sign for Barça following Ter Stegen’s injury.

Szczesny is expected to be rotated back in next week when Barcelona travel to face Inter Milan in the decisive second leg of their Champions League semi-final, after the thrilling 3-3 draw in the first leg in Spain.

Coach Flick is juggling his squad carefully as Barcelona continue their hunt for a historic quadruple, balancing league ambitions, European dreams, and domestic dominance.

However, there is still uncertainty over the availability of top scorer Robert Lewandowski, who sat out the Inter clash with a hamstring injury. Flick offered no guarantees about the striker’s return, saying only that the club’s medical team was "monitoring the situation."

Barcelona currently sit four points clear of rivals Real Madrid with just five matches left in the La Liga campaign. Saturday’s opponents Real Valladolid, languishing at the foot of the table, are all but certain to drop to the second division — but Flick has warned his players against complacency.

The return of Ter Stegen adds steel and experience to Barcelona’s defense at a crucial stage of the season, and fans across the globe — including the club’s growing African fanbase — will be watching closely as the Blaugrana push for glory on all fronts.



By WafricNews Sports Desk.

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