Marc-André ter Stegen respectfully comments on his demotion at FC Barcelona after moving to FC Girona. Saying goodbye to the Blaugrana was close to him and was “hard”.
Ter Stegen: “I respected the coach’s decision”
Now his suffering as a spectator is coming to an end: Marc-André ter Stegen has found a club, FC Girona, where he can gain the necessary match practice to be in goal for the German national team at the World Cup in the summer. National coach Julian Nagelsmann recently made it clear that appearances were a prerequisite for this.
Appearances that he would no longer have had at FC Barcelona this season as planned. Ter Stegen was demoted by signing Joan García. Bitter for the 33-year-old from Mönchengladbach, who, at least outwardly, comments on it respectfully.
Ter Stegen on Thursday afternoon during his presentation in Girona: “You always have to respect the coach’s decision, that’s what I did. I said that I was always available when I felt good. They bet on Joan, who does a good job, I totally respect that. We always had a very good relationship, even if you want it to be not so good. The competition between us was very healthy. In the end I wanted to play. I also thanked the coach for having me in the Copa del Rey so I could show that I am 100 percent. I also have to say that I always have personal goals and that is the goal now.
“I still find it difficult to talk about it”
What the goalkeeper will have meant above all: the World Cup. He will make his Girona debut on Monday in the LaLiga home game against Getafe FC (9 p.m.). “I will prepare as if I were playing on Monday. That is of course my goal. In the end, the coach has to decide. I feel good and ready,” explained Ter Stegen.
By then he may have largely emotionally processed his departure from Barça, even if the Mönchengladbach native was only loaned out and will return there in the summer. He was “very tough”. “It’s still hard for me to talk about it. It’s a great dressing room at Barça, I really enjoyed being with my teammates and everyone on the staff. It was very hard. It’s a serious change after being at the club for almost twelve years,” said the now former Blaugrana captain.
