Sport
Ter Stegen returns for Barcelona against Real Valladolid after knee injury
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick confirms that goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen will make his first appearance since September against Real Valladolid on Saturday following recovery from a severe knee injury.
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick confirms that goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen will make his first appearance since September against Real Valladolid on Saturday following recovery from a severe knee injury
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has announced that first-choice goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen will start in the La Liga match against Real Valladolid on Saturday.
Also read: Ter Stegen reveals reason for not requesting Yamal’s Barcelona shirt
This will be the 33-year-old German international’s first appearance for the Catalan giants since September, following a significant recovery from a severe knee injury.
Ter Stegen underwent surgery after rupturing the patella tendon in his right knee during a match against Villarreal earlier in the season.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Flick confirmed the goalkeeper’s readiness, stating, “Marc is on the right track, at a good level. He has been training fantastically well for some time.”
Although Ter Stegen was part of the squad that triumphed over Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final on April 26, he remained an unused substitute.
His return to the starting lineup will see him replace Wojciech Szczesny, who temporarily came out of retirement to join Barcelona as cover after Ter Stegen’s injury.
Flick indicated that the change in goalkeepers is part of managing player freshness as Barcelona continues to compete for a potential quadruple.
Szczesny is expected to return to the goal for the crucial Champions League semi-final second leg away against Inter Milan on Tuesday, following a 3-3 draw in the first leg in Spain.
However, Flick was less clear regarding the availability of their top goalscorer, Robert Lewandowski, who missed the first leg against Inter due to a hamstring issue.
Barcelona currently holds a four-point lead over their rivals Real Madrid in La Liga with five matches remaining in the season.
Their upcoming opponents, Real Valladolid, are currently at the bottom of the league table and facing likely relegation.
Cristiano Ronaldo announces his retirement from Portugal international duty after 23 years, ending a career that included 146 goals in 234 games
On 5 November 2026, Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo announced his retirement from international duty, bringing an end to a 23-year career with the national team just as a rift with manager Jorge Jesus appeared to have been patched up.
Also read: Mourinho Balanced on Vinicius With Soft Approach
The 41-year-old posted a video on social media in which he declared that the time had come to hang up the number 7 jersey.
“Portugal will always be in me,” he said. “The time has come to hang up the number 7 of our national team. I never felt it was exclusively mine, but for 23 years I had the privilege and the responsibility of wearing it.”
Ronaldo added that the decision was not easy and had been taken with both the head and the heart.
He leaves as Portugal’s most capped player and the highest goalscorer in men’s international football history, with 146 goals in 234 appearances.
His career highlights include the Euro 2016 title and two UEFA Nations League triumphs.
The announcement comes a day before Jorge Jesus was due to name his squad for the November Nations League fixtures, following reports that Ronaldo had been included in the preliminary selection after a September fallout over playing time.
In October, Ronaldo had accused Jesus of breaking his word after being left as an unused substitute against Norway, leading him to leave the national team camp.
He later apologised and stated he remained available after any punishment.
The pair were reported to have cleared the air, yet Ronaldo has now chosen to step away entirely.
The decision closes one of the most remarkable international careers the sport has seen and leaves Portugal without its long-serving captain for the remainder of the Nations League campaign.
Also read: Mourinho Balanced on Vinicius With Soft Approach
Football has been stunned by the sudden end to Ronaldo’s Portugal chapter. While he continues at club level with Al Nassr, the national team must now look to the future without its greatest ever player.
José Mourinho says he is 80 per cent soft and 20 per cent tough with Vinicius Júnior after Real Madrid’s Champions League win over AEK Athens
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