Ter Stegen underwent surgery, for the second time, to solve his discomfort in the patellar tendon in his right knee, being aware that he would not start the season with FC Barcelona. The German goalkeeper, who underwent surgery on May 20 in Sweden, received good news from surgeon Hakan Alfredson, assuring him that in just over three months he would be playing.
And is that if the Swedish surgeon's prognosis is confirmed, we would be talking around August 20, so he could even be recovered for the start of the season: the first day is scheduled for August 15 where Barcelona will debut at the Camp Nou against Real Sociedad.
But both the goalkeeper and the medical services and technicians are aware that the worst companion of an injury is precipitation, prioritizing prudence to the maximum to avoid any relapse or step backwards. Hence, the club's plans today do not include Ter Stegen starting the season under the sticks: they want to give a margin of three more weeks for the set-up to be more complete.
Thus, the return of Ter Stegen would already be set for the month of September, taking advantage of the two-week break for national teams, and agreeing with the match against Sevilla at the Sánchez Pizjuán on the fourth day and the premiere of the Champions League. days later.
That means that Ter Stegen would not be against Real Sociedad, nor against Athletic Bilbao nor against Getafe. Given this situation, it could be the case that the season began under the sticks of the Brazilian Neto Murara, although the club could give him an exit earlier in the case of finding an interesting offer.
If finally Neto was not already in the squad, the first name to occupy Ter Stegen's place would be Iñaki Peña, until now the subsidiary's goalkeeper, with Arnau Tenas, as a second option.
In any case, the club is studying the option of reinforcing the goal with an alternative of more weight if finally Neto does not continue. The name of Jordi Masip, current Valladolid goalkeeper and with a Blaugrana past, would be among the strongest candidates to fill the place that the Brazilian goalkeeper would leave vacant.