Tensions flare at Barcelona as head coach Hansi Flick locks horns with a key player over demands to return to the starting lineup.
Barcelona’s season has taken a turn for the dramatic with an ongoing conflict between the management at the club and one of their players.
With new head coach Hansi Flick, the team can be seen navigating through a transitional period with the aim of returning to the top of La Liga and competing in European competitions.
However, a recent incident has caused contention within the squad involving a veteran player’s attitude towards his previous lengthy injury recovery.
Reports state that the player demanded to reestablish himself as the starting keeper, especially with an important Champions League match ahead against Inter Milan, and this was accompanied with friction with the coaching staff, thus signalling his exit from FC Barcelona.
The player in question is obviously Marc-André ter Stegen, Barcelona’s long-time keeper and one of the more experienced players on the team for a long time, as reported by Transfer News Live.
Ter Stegen has been a mainstay in the squad for more than a decade, has been reported to have wanted to reclaim the spot between the sticks after being out injured.
According to sources close to the club, Flick and his team were annoyed with the goalkeeper’s actions, believing that he was disrespecting the teams’ strategy as a whole and also didn’t respect the current form of back-up goalkeeper Iñaki Peña.
Sources have indicated that the incident has strained relations, and Flick is now considering Ter Stegen’s role in the plans for the long-term future.
The situation gets even more tricky for Barcelona in the future, as it is unclear how it will impact team relationships and leadership going forward.
Of course, Ter Stegen has plenty of experience, however, Flick’s suggestion of discipline and the common goal suggest that some things may be changing.
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