Sunday night brought mixed emotions for FC Barcelona. While they celebrated a commanding 5-1 win against Villarreal, the joy was overshadowed by a serious injury to their captain and goalkeeper, Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
The club confirmed that the 32-year-old suffered a complete rupture of the patellar tendon in his right knee, an injury that will require surgery. Ter Stegen is expected to be out of action for around eight to nine months, ruling him out for the rest of the season.
Ancelotti Shares Support
Real Madrid's manager, Carlo Ancelotti, was quick to offer his support for the Barcelona goalkeeper. During a press conference, Ancelotti praised Ter Stegen as “one of the top goalkeepers” and wished him a fast recovery.
“It’s always unfortunate when a key player like Ter Stegen gets injured. I hope he makes a full and quick recovery,” Ancelotti said. He also emphasized the need for football to address the increasing number of injuries due to the demanding schedules players face.
Courtois Sends Well Wishes
Earlier, Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois also expressed his support for Ter Stegen through social media. Courtois shared his disappointment over the injury and wished his rival a speedy recovery.
“Sorry to hear about your injury, Marc-Andre. It was tough to see you leave the field like that. Wishing you a fast recovery, and hope to see you back in goal soon,” Courtois posted.
Ter Stegen's surgery is set for today, with updates on his recovery timeline expected in the coming days.