Marc-André ter Stegen and FC Barcelona are going through one of their most tense moments since the German arrived at the club. According to Mundo Deportivo, the goalkeeper has refused to sign the consent allowing his medical report to be sent to LaLiga’s Medical Commission, which would enable the club to use part of his salary for financial fair play purposes.

And this refusal is no small matter: without his signature, Barça cannot unlock 80% of his salary to register Joan Garcia, the former Espanyol keeper. Faced with this stance, the club has decided to open a disciplinary case, which could lead to internal sanctions if approved by the board.

An unprecedented move and a unilateral decision

The club claims it has never experienced a case like this. Neither Christensen nor Araujo objected to sharing their medical data when they were ruled out long term. Thanks to those reports, validated by LaLiga, Barça was able to register Dani Olmo and Iñigo Martínez. But this time, things are different.

Ter Stegen, who recently underwent a second back surgery on the same area operated on in 2023, personally announced on social media that he expected to be out for three months. Barça, however, estimates a longer timeline: four months of recovery plus one for reintegration, which would meet the criteria to free up part of his salary. Without his consent, nothing can proceed.

The dilemma: personal rights vs. contractual duty

The club acknowledges that the goalkeeper has the right not to share his medical information, but insists that by signing with Barça, he also agreed to certain obligations that may now be in breach. They believe his refusal causes not just financial damage, but also harms the sporting project—especially for teammates like Joan Garcia, who is waiting to be registered.

Barça tried to speak with him after the preseason tour, but he gave a blunt answer: he won’t sign. For the board, that’s already seen as a serious lack of cooperation and could lead to disciplinary or even legal consequences if it’s deemed to harm the club.

Is a breakup coming?

Sources say the relationship between Ter Stegen and the club is “deeply strained.” Unless a solution is found soon, the rift could grow even deeper. For now, Barça’s hands are tied in the transfer market… and their star goalkeeper is right at the center of the storm.