FC Barcelona returned to winning ways last night after their defeat in the UEFA Champions League against Monaco as they beat Villarreal with a 5-1 scoreline. Both Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha scored braces while Pablo Torre also got on the scoresheet.
While this win will definitely bring the spirits of the Blaugrana squad back, this was still a costly win. The Catalans had to lose another important player in this game, as Marc Andre Ter Stegen had to be stretchered off the pitch just before the half-time break as he tore his patellar tendon after landing awkwardly while attempting to catch a high ball.
Detailed tests are yet to be carried out on the goalkeeper, which will determine the severity of this issue, but some reports have claimed that in the worst possible scenario, the German can end up missing the entire rest of the season.
Meanwhile, Ter Stegen has been receiving support from all quarters. One of the more notable voices to lend him support in this difficult time was that of the former Real Madrid midfielder, Toni Kroos, who took to X to send a two-word message for his compatriot: “Speedy recovery”.
Speedy recovery @mterstegen1 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
— Toni Kroos (@ToniKroos) September 22, 2024
Toni Kroos, who retired at the end of the last season, knows Ter Stegen well as they both have been a part of the German national team several times. They have also been on the opposing ends in Spain, as he played for Real Madrid, the eternal opponents of FC Barcelona.
Still, his words will certainly provide some relief to the German goalkeeper in such a difficult time. Meanwhile, Barcelona fans will be hoping the issue faced by Ter Stegen is not a very serious one, and he can return to the field as soon as possible. The same will be the situation with Germany fans, as Manuel Neuer has also retired and Ter Stegen is now the starting goalkeeper for Die Mannschaft.
