La Liga Confirms Ter Stegen’s Injury as Long-Term, Clearing Way for Replacement

FC Barcelona has officially announced that La Liga’s Medical Committee has ruled Marc-André ter Stegen’s back injury as a long-term absence—a classification matching league criteria that permits clubs to register temporary replacements and reallocate salary funds.

Joan García, newly signed from Espanyol, will be formally registered for the season using 80% of ter Stegen’s salary—a provision allowed when a player's long-term medical absence is validated.

The ruling puts Barcelona in a better financial position to manage the squad under Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules and address a backlog of registrations for other key players.

This resolution follows a brief dispute where ter Stegen initially declined to authorize the release of his medical data, which briefly led to disciplinary action and the removal of his captaincy—though the situation has since been resolved amicably

Factor	Impact
Squad Reinforcement	Allows García to step in immediately as goalkeeper, without FFP penalties
Financial Relief	Frees up crucial salary space to facilitate further signings
Internal Harmony	Resolves a tense confrontation between Ter Stegen and the club