Barca goalkeeper Ter Stegen to undergo knee operation

Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen will have surgery on a ruptured knee tendon, the Catalan club said Monday, with the club’s captain potentially sidelined for the rest of the season.

The 32-year-old German international was stretchered off after falling awkwardly during his team’s 5-1 victory over Villarreal on Sunday.

“(Ter Stegen) has a complete rupture in the patella tendon in his right knee,” said Barcelona in a statement.

“On Monday afternoon he will undergo a surgical process and once complete a new update will be released.”

Ter Stegen, who was criticized after making a mistake in Barcelona’s 2-1 Champions League defeat at Monaco on Thursday, suffered the injury before half-time at Villarreal’s Estadio de la Ceramica.

“I think it will be a huge injury when he lay down on the field you can see it directly,” Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said after the game.

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Inaki Pena replaced Ter Stegen and is set to fill in for the German, although Barcelona may look to sign a replacement.

Flick said it was too soon to comment on the issue.

“I don’t know if I like this question directly after the match. I just want to see how Marc is, he’s our captain and is a very important player for us,” said Flick.

“Please understand that I don’t want to talk about that.”

Ter Stegen started two Nations League matches for Germany in September after Bayern Munich veteran Manuel Neuer’s retirement from international duty in August.

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