Speaking at a press conference earlier today (h/t BILD), Barcelona captain Marc-Andre ter Stegen stated that he is happy at the club but refused to rule out a future return to his homeland Germany.
Ter Stegen has been at Barcelona for a decade now, having arrived from Borussia Monchengladbach in the summer of 2014.
The undisputed starter in goal for the Catalans, he also became the first captain this season following the departure of Sergi Roberto.
Meanwhile, the international retirement of Manuel Neuer meant that Ter Stegen is now the No. 1 in goal for the German national team as well, after a decade-long wait.
On being Germany’s New No. 1
Discussing his new role as the first-choice goalkeeper for Germany and the frustrations he felt over the years of having had to work under the shadows of Neuer, Ter Stegen said:
“There are always moments when you think ‘Phew, that was another blow’. In the end, the decision always went in Manu’s favour, but I dealt with it professionally. It was disappointing, of course, but you have to live with it.
“You should have this experience and accept it. In the end, it was worth it. My teammates noticed that I never let myself be down because of that.”
Continuing, he added: “My aim has always been to be number one. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to achieve that over the past decade.
“I had a goalkeeper in front of me in Manu who had an incredible career and always stood up to the pressure. Congratulations to him again on his career.”
On Hansi Flick and his club future
Ter Stegen also discussed his future at Barcelona, insisting that he has a long-term deal until 2028 and that both he and his family are very happy in Catalonia. However, the 32-year-old left the door open for a future return to Germany, as he said:
“I have a relatively long contract in Barcelona. I’m very happy there. My family is happy in Catalonia. I’m just looking forward to the season, that’s where my focus is.
“You never know what will happen in the future. I don’t know if playing in Germany will be a goal for me again in the future. We’ll see. But generally speaking, I’m very happy with my situation and with where I am at the moment.”
The German shot-stopper was also full of praise for his compatriot and new Barcelona manager Hansi Flick, saying:
“Very good. He has a very clear vision of what he wants, what he expects from me and what he expects from me personally.
“And I think it’s nice for him that the start has been successful the way it has been. You can’t always predict that in advance. So I’m very happy for him that things are going the way they are now. But we certainly can’t relax because of that.”
Ter Stegen stressed that the senior players in the squad, including himself, must take responsibility and lead the young team, saying:
“We have a good team, a very, very young team, very similar to here, if not more extreme. So it’s about the players we have, whether it’s Lewy, me, Jules or Rapha, having the ability to lead and guide this team.
“And I think Hansi is a very honest person with a very clear opinion, and I think that really helps us in our path.”
