Conflict with key player, coach Hansi Flick admits a major mistake

The summer of 2025 witnessed major changes at Barcelona, affecting both the transfer market and internal team dynamics due to a major conflict between Ter Stegen and coach Hansi Flick.

One of the most notable incidents was the case involving goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen, who was stripped of the captaincy and even faced removal from the club’s registered squad list.

At that time, Barcelona urgently needed to complete the registration process for Joan Garcia to participate in the La Liga opening match against Mallorca. Since Ter Stegen had recently undergone back surgery, the club management considered temporarily deregistering him to make room for Garcia. However, the German keeper strongly opposed this, causing considerable tension between both parties.

After much debate, Ter Stegen eventually agreed, but the conflict left a lasting impact. Multiple sources confirmed that the goalkeeper felt disrespected after many years of loyalty and dedication to the club.

In an interview with SportBild, coach Hansi Flick openly admitted his own mistakes in handling the situation: “If you say all communication issues were resolved in the best possible way, that would clearly not be true. I myself have many areas to improve. What matters now is that Marc and the club have come together to genuinely understand each other. He is a top-class goalkeeper and will receive every support from us to return to his true level.”

Flick’s remarks are seen as an effort to calm the tense atmosphere and reaffirm Ter Stegen’s role in the club’s long-term plans.

Part of the sensitivity around the issue stems from the fact that Joan Garcia, a newly signed goalkeeper from Espanyol, was chosen by Barcelona as the first-choice keeper during the summer. This sparked speculation that Ter Stegen was being “coldly pushed aside.”

Explaining the decision, Flick stated: “With Joan Garcia, we have a young, talented goalkeeper who has already reached a high level. We all agree that he will be the future of Barcelona. That is a clear direction.”

Flick’s public endorsement of “choosing Garcia for the future” raises a challenging question: can Barca balance the ambition to rejuvenate the squad while respecting veterans like Ter Stegen?