Barcelona are set to hold emergency talks after first-choice goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen suffered a serious injury in their 5-1 win over Villarreal on Sunday.
Ter Stegen was stretchered off during Barca’s latest victory, appearing to be in excruciating pain after landing awkwardly from a challenge. He was replaced by Inaki Pena.
The Catalan giants have since confirmed that the German will undergo surgery after rupturing a patella tendon in his knee. While his official timeframe has not yet been revealed, he’s expected to miss eight months of action – this would rule him out of the remainder of Barca’s La Liga and Champions League campaigns.
ESPN claim that the Barcelona hierarchy, including head coach Hansi Flick and sporting director Deco, will meet to discuss whether to bring in a new goalkeeper for the rest of the season.
As it stands, Barca have three main options: utilise Pena while Ter Stegen is out, sign a free agent to compete alongside their backup keeper or wait until the January window to assess any permanent moves.
Pena, who did not concede a goal during the second half of Barca’s rampage over Villarreal, has been with the Catalan side since 2012. He’s set to start in their clash with Getafe on Wednesday as Flick’s men look to maintain their 100% win rate in the league this season.
Barca may also look towards 20-year-old Ander Astralaga as an alternative to Pena.
If they do opt to bring in a new talent prior to the January window, however, Barcelona will be able to register a free agent to replace Ter Stegen as per La Liga regulations.
Former Barcelona goalkeeper Claudio Bravo, who retired earlier this year, has already offered to return to the club as a stop-gap solution.
