Revealed: Marc-Andre ter Stegen revised injury timeline as Barcelona receive much-needed boost

Ter Stegen was supposed to be a long-term absentee for the Blaugrana, facing over two months on the sidelines after undergoing surgery to fix an ongoing back issue. But the goalie has made progress in his return, and according to Spanish publication Relevo, he could be back before the end of the month.

Ter Stegen was facing a race against time to feature in Barca's round of 16 clash with Napoli in the Champions League. The first leg, set for February 21, was reportedly a rough target date, but it appears he will be back in the side well before that fixture.

The Barca boss has consistently shown faith in his side's depth to deal with the loss of his star goalie, and rubbished claims that the Blaugrana will dip into the market for depth at the position: "We have confidence in our players and Inaki Pena has been playing at a very high level."

Barca's attention now turns to the Spanish Super Cup, where they will take on Osasuna. A win would see the Blaugrana face one of Atletico Madrid or Real Madrid in the final, with a chance to defend their crown.