Barcelona have returned the captain’s armband to goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen after he signed the medical report about his health required after back surgery, the club’s press service said.
The goalkeeper allowed the medical staff to process the paperwork, and the disciplinary case against him was closed. The decision took effect immediately.
Earlier, on August 7, ter Stegen lost the armband after refusing to sign the report that would be sent to La Liga’s medical committee. If that report had listed a four-month recovery period, the club could have registered another goalkeeper for the season — Joan García from Espanyol. However, the German’s healing is expected to take about three months.
Spanish media say tension between the player and the club began late last season. Mundo Deportivo wrote that the coaching staff deliberately left ter Stegen out of several matches to avoid paying a €3.5 million bonus tied to a required number of appearances.
