FC Barcelona has announced that their first-team goalkeeper, Marc-André ter Stegen, will have surgery due to a knee injury sustained during the match against Villarreal.
In a statement released on Monday, the club noted, “The Barça goalkeeper will undergo surgery today following the knee injury incurred during the game against Villarreal.”
Medical tests have revealed the severity of the injury. “Examinations conducted on Marc ter Stegen confirmed a complete rupture of the patellar tendon in his right knee,” the statement added.
The surgery is scheduled for Monday afternoon, with the club promising updates following the procedure. The injury happened in the first half at Estadio de la Cerámica when Ter Stegen landed awkwardly after catching a Villarreal cross.
“The German international was clearly in distress and was quickly substituted for Iñaki Peña,” the club reported. Ter Stegen, who has been instrumental for Barça this season, made his 289th appearance in that match, surpassing Antoni Ramallets to become the third-highest goalkeeper in club history.
“This season, the Barça captain has started every game. His appearance against Villarreal marked his 289th in a Blaugrana shirt, moving him past legendary keeper Antoni Ramallets into third place for all-time appearances,” the statement concluded.
In a separate update, NEWS REVIEW reported that Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha each scored twice as Barcelona cruised to a 5-1 victory over Villarreal, maintaining their perfect start to La Liga. However, the match was overshadowed by Ter Stegen’s serious knee injury, which required him to be carried off on a stretcher.
“I believe it’s going to be a significant injury based on how he was lying on the field… it was evident,” said Barcelona coach Hansi Flick to DAZN.
