Marc-Andre ter Stegen assured Barcelona have no grounds to punish him over medical report as Spanish players' union offers support to goalkeeper

Ter Stegen and Barcelona are at war with each other, embroiled in a tense dispute over the player's refusal to sign the consent form which will allow Barcelona to share his medical report with La Liga's medical commission. Now, RAC1 reports the Spanish players' union (AFE) has offered its support to the goalkeeper amid his standoff with the Catalans. 

La Liga are now preventing the club from submitting the goalkeeper’s medical report without his consent. According to RAC1, Barca management confirms they won’t send the report to the Medical Commission without the player’s approval, despite believing they have legal grounds to do so. Sports law expert Miguel Angel Galan argues that exceptions exist for assessing a worker’s fitness, which may justify Barca's stance. However, he notes the final decision lies with the league.

Meanwhile, the Spanish Footballers' Association (AFE) has reached out to Ter Stegen, offering support and confirming that Barca’s disciplinary action against him cannot be appealed. In a shift of tone, Barcelona, previously open to reconciliation, have opted against meeting with Ter Stegen unless he initiates it. A scheduled meeting is now on hold, underscoring the widening rift between club and player.

Ter Stegen’s absence from Barcelona’s pre-season tour of Asia, following lower back surgery, has added further tension to his relationship with the club. The situation escalated after the German international released a personal statement about the procedure, reportedly without notifying Barca in advance. In his announcement, Ter Stegen indicated a recovery time of around three months, notably shorter than the club’s internal estimate of four to five months. This discrepancy frustrated Barcelona, who had intended to submit medical documentation to La Liga reflecting the longer timeline. The club did so recently, aiming to activate a financial provision that would allow them to allocate 80 per cent of the goalkeeper’s salary toward registering new signings, in accordance with La Liga’s financial fair play regulations. The lack of coordination has deepened the rift between player and club, complicating an already delicate situation surrounding his recovery and Barca’s registration strategy. Now, without Ter Stegen's signature, the league will not classify his injury as long-term. 

Legal proceedings are likely to follow, with the club not ruling out imposing sanctions on Ter Stegen, which could even include the termination of his contract. Ter Stegen, per reports from Spain, has completely cut off all contact with the club. With the league set to begin in less than 10 days, it remains to be seen whether the club and the 33-year-old can find a middle ground, or if the situation ends up exacerbating.