Barcelona Reinstate Ter Stegen as Captain, Clears Way for Player Registrations

Barcelona reinstated goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen as captain after resolving a dispute related to his back surgery and medical report sharing. The club had initially stripped Ter Stegen of captaincy due to his hesitation to authorize the release of his medical records to La Liga, which was necessary to classify his injury as long-term and apply a salary discount under Financial Fair Play rules. Ter Stegen clarified he had kept the club informed about his treatment and rehabilitation timeline, which conflicted with the club's assessment that he would be out for at least four months. After Ter Stegen agreed to sign the authorization, Barcelona closed the disciplinary case and restored his captaincy, enabling the club to free up wage bill space needed to register new players, including Marcus Rashford. This reconciliation marks a significant step toward stabilizing relations between the player and club and addressing Barcelona's financial constraints. Despite this, Ter Stegen's future at Barcelona remains uncertain as he has fallen behind other goalkeepers in the squad hierarchy.