Ter Stegen Reinstated as Barcelona Captain After Dispute

Marc-André ter Stegen has been reinstated as Barcelona's first-team captain following the resolution of a dispute over his medical records and recovery timeline from back surgery. The conflict began when Ter Stegen initially withheld his medical details, preventing Barcelona from classifying him as a long-term injury and freeing up salary cap space for new signings under La Liga rules. As a result, the club temporarily stripped him of the captaincy and opened disciplinary proceedings. After Ter Stegen authorized the release of his medical report, the disciplinary case was closed and he regained the captaincy. Ter Stegen publicly maintained that all medical decisions were made in agreement with the club and defended his commitment. The incident occurred amid Barcelona's ongoing struggles with salary cap constraints and player registrations.