Flick opens the exit door for Ter Stegen: "Joan García is my number 1"

FC Barcelona hosts Eintracht Frankfurt this Tuesday (9:00 PM CEST) as the UEFA Champions League returns to Spotify Camp Nou. 1,140 days have passed since the tournament anthem last echoed through the stadium, and Hansi Flick, in the pre-match press conference, also confirmed that Marc-André ter Stegen could be available for selection.

The German has been sidelined since the summer after undergoing lumbar surgery and hasn't played for Barça in the Champions League since September 19, 2024, in the defeat against Monaco (2-1). In this regard, Flick has not missed an opportunity to clarify what the German goalkeeper's role will be once he receives medical clearance.

Flick sentences Ter Stegen ahead of his imminent return

"I'm clear, Joan (García) is my number one goalkeeper," stated the Barça coach, who also assured he had not spoken recently with the German national team coach, Julian Nagelsmann. 'Matts's' benching at Barcelona is a major concern for the 'mannschaft' ahead of the World Cup, and Flick has not hesitated to open up about the 33-year-old goalkeeper's future.

Although the captain's contract runs until June 2028, the most sensible thing to do will be to look for an exit in the next winter transfer window. Otherwise, he will run the risk of spending the rest of the season on the bench, a factor that would seriously compromise his presence with Germany in the World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada

The keys to overcoming the Eintracht hurdle

Regarding the match against Frankfurt, Hansi Flick expressed his respect for the German team, beyond the complicated present that Dino Toppmöller's side is going through. The team was thrashed by Leipzig on Saturday (6-0) and has gone four matchdays without a win in the Champions League, including another tough home defeat against Atalanta (0-3) the previous round.

"Eintracht is special because I lived and worked nearby. My grandson is an Eintracht fan. They have a young team, they lack consistency... but they have quality, intensity... and they set a good pace that can hurt the opponent. We must stick to our game plan," commented the Barcelona coach.

In that regard, he insisted that the key lies in maintaining control of the game and keeping the best collective level throughout the match. "The Champions League is different... If we are at our best, we have a chance to win. But it will be difficult. They can hurt us if we are not at our best."

"For all of us, it was a dream to return to Spotify Camp Nou. It's also important for us to play the Champions League here. We want to show our best football"

Praise for Gerard Martín and Pau Cubarsí

On the other hand, Flick spoke about Barça's defensive performance. Despite the goals conceded (8 in the last 5 matches), the manager is satisfied with the performance of what, for now, seems to be settling as the starting center-back pairing, Pau Cubarsí and Gerard Martín.

The manager recalled the effort the players have made to deal with a very tough schedule, in addition to the plague of injuries that affected the squad in the first three months of the season. In that regard, he valued Pau's improvement, who has had to get used to playing as a left-sided center-back after the departure of Iñigo Martínez

"They have played at a different level than five weeks ago, especially Cubarsí. He is 18 years old. Against Betis, he made 87 passes with 100 percent accuracy. He was the first player in history to achieve this in LaLiga. It's good for the team and for the back line," he said about the '5' from Barça.

And, referring to Gerard Martín, who has established himself as a left-sided center-back, he added: "He has confidence and believes in what he knows how to do. For us, it's fantastic. It gives us more opportunities and options to play out from the back. He does it very well."

"Against Betis, they were exhausted. It's not easy to play at the highest level. But they are doing well, we are pressing, and we are connected. We can keep improving"