Germany fell again in the match for third place in the UEFA Nations League, this time against France (0-2). Marc-André ter Stegen was again a starter and, despite completing 6 notable saves, he could not prevent his team from falling in Stuttgart. Kylian Mbappé and Desiré Doué scored the French goals.
The FC Barcelona goalkeeper and captain was very confident under the posts, also completing 11 of 12 passes (91%) and 5 recoveries. 4 of his 6 saves were in the second half, where Didier Deschamps’ team had at least five clear chances to finish the match. Mbappé had put ‘Les Bleus’ ahead just before half-time.
In total, France made 15 shots, 8 of them on goal. 6 were blocked by Ter Stegen, the other 2 ended in goals, without any responsibility of the ‘1’ blaugrana. Now, the 33-year-old goalkeeper will go on vacation, while rumors grow about his possible departure from Barça. However, Marc-André has no intention of changing scenery in the 25/26 season
Regarding the summer market, the latest information points to AC Milan as a possible destination for the blaugrana captain. The ‘rossoneri’ could lose Mike Maignan this summer, who is expected to go to Chelsea, and the German is on the list of names that interest coach Massimiliano Allegri.
In principle, the Milanese offer does not seem very attractive in sporting terms, as the team will not compete in European competitions in the 25/26 season. Despite this, it could be good for the German to be a starter only in Serie A to avoid new physical problems, as he has suffered serious injuries for two consecutive seasons.
To facilitate his arrival at San Siro, Barça does not rule out giving Ter Stegen a letter of freedom. According to ‘SPORT’, the club would negotiate with the goalkeeper the full payment of one year’s salary (around 6.3 million euros) to facilitate his departure.
However, the goalkeeper has a contract until 2028 and his termination clause is 500 million euros. Hence, for the moment, Marc-André does not see his farewell to Barcelona as feasible after nine seasons as the undisputed owner of the culé goal (in the 14/15 and 15/16 seasons he shared the title with Claudio Bravo).
Meanwhile, information continues to be leaked in Barcelona about the alleged break in the relationship between Ter Stegen and Hansi Flick. The German goalkeeper, although he received medical discharge prior to the ‘semis’ of Champions, was not included in the list for the tie against Inter Milan, a decision that the experienced footballer did not like at all.
Although he was a starter in Liga against Valladolid (1-2) and Villarreal (2-3), the ‘1’ did not agree with Szczesny’s starting role in the big matches. In addition, the captain avoided speaking during the celebrations for obtaining LaLiga, after the match against the ‘Yellow Submarine’.
A gesture that some media consider as an example of the wear and tear of Marc-André’s relationship with the coaching staff. Beyond the rumors, Marc-André insists on staying to fight for a position in Barcelona, where he would start the 25/26 season as the third option for the goal, behind Joan García and ‘Tek’ himself, waiting for the signing and renewal of the Catalan and the Polish, respectively.
If, finally, he was forced to leave, the Mönchengladbach native will prioritize a team that competes in European competitions. An interesting option may be Aston Villa, who will have the obligation to sign a goalkeeper if Emiliano ‘Dibu’ Martínez’s departure is confirmed
