Ter Stegen Out 8 Months After Knee Injury

Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen has suffered a severe knee injury, a complete rupture of the patella tendon, which will sideline him for at least eight months. The injury occurred during Barcelona's 5-1 LaLiga victory over Villarreal, where Ter Stegen fell awkwardly after jumping for a ball. His absence is a significant blow to both Barcelona and the German national team, where he had recently become the first-choice goalkeeper following Manuel Neuer's retirement. Barcelona coach Hansi Flick and Germany's Julian Nagelsmann expressed their shock and sadness over the injury. Inaki Pena is expected to deputize in Ter Stegen's absence as Barcelona aims to maintain their strong start to the season. Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti also praised Ter Stegen, calling him one of the best goalkeepers in the world.