FC Barcelona captain faces a torrent of social media criticism as fans voice their frustration over his recent performances.
The German, who has been a staple in the club since 2014, has been the target of an angry fan base as his performances in the 2024-25 season are being criticized.
Though ter Stegen is the team captain and has plenty of honors, including five La Liga titles and a Champions League title, a few bad mistakes in recent matches have brought doubts to the fans about ter Stegen’s status as a future player for the club.
Some fans have looked toward their other goalkeeper options, like Iñaki Peña, or a transfer market choice, after two major goalkeeping errors in La Liga and the UEFA Champions League this season.
The hashtag #TerStegenOut has become popular among the unhappy fan base and has recently trended with a peak of 117K posts.
At this stage of ter Stegen’s career and playing age at 33, he has had a noticeable drop in saves made percentage and distribution success ratio this current season, spreading the patron of thought that they need fresher faces and youth to compete with Europe’s elites.
The sight of ter Stegen donning his green goalkeeper kit and standing in front of the net has come to symbolize the discourse, with fans expressing dissatisfaction with the backline, or lack thereof.
Coach Hansi Flick has publicly endorsed ter Stegen and highlighted his experience and leadership through the conversation, but the faucet continues to turn on the pressure.
With the transfer window around the corner, president Joan Laporta and director Deco must now grapple with a difficult decision: to support their captain or listen to the fans.
Ter Stegen’s performances in the next matches will be crucial in deciding the fate of the campaign to remove him, and if he is able to ever win back the fans at Camp Nou.
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