- Barcelona stripped Ter Stegen of captaincy and opened disciplinary proceedings
- Ronald Araujo will serve as interim captain amid ongoing conflict
- Ter Stegen’s refusal to sign La Liga protocol blocks new registrations
Key Takeaways:
Barcelona officially announced that they are stripping Marc-Andre ter Stegen of the captain’s armband. The Catalans also revealed that disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against the German goalkeeper, while the captain’s duties will be temporarily carried out by Ronald Araujo.
𝗙𝗖 𝗕𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗮 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) August 7, 2025
This marks another shock in the strained relationship between club and player, which escalated significantly this summer. The rift began at the end of last season, when Ter Stegen demanded to be reinstated as a starter immediately after his serious injury. Barcelona, however, decided during the summer transfer window to sign Joan Garcia from Espanyol as their new first-choice goalkeeper and aimed to part ways with their current captain.
The German, in turn, refused to leave and opted to remain with the squad. He also issued his own official statement declaring that he would undergo surgery and independently disclosed that he would be sidelined for three months.
Later, Ter Stegen refused to sign a medical protocol that would confirm he would not play for the next four months. This document is required under La Liga rules for Barcelona to use his absence to register new signings, allowing them to access 80% of his salary. The refusal to sign has made the club’s registration situation more complicated. It is evident this was the final straw for the reigning Spanish champions’ management.