Barca Can Finally Register Garcia as La Liga Approves Ter Stegen Report

TL;DR

Barcelona has secured La Liga’s official approval of Marc-André ter Stegen’s long-term injury status, allowing the club to register Joan Garcia as a squad goalkeeper.

This crucial step resolves a registration roadblock caused by salary and injury-report disputes. Garcia is now eligible for La Liga matches, stabilizing Barça’s goalkeeping options just ahead of the new season kickoff.

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Barcelona’s Green Light to Register Joan Garcia: The Full Story

After weeks of uncertainty, FC Barcelona has obtained official confirmation from La Liga’s Medical Commission that Marc-André ter Stegen’s injury qualifies as a long-term absence. This classification triggered the release of salary space, which enables the Catalan club to finally register Joan Garcia for competitive matches this season.

This approval was not straightforward. Ter Stegen initially contested the injury’s duration, arguing he would return in three months rather than four, leading to public friction with the club, including the temporary loss of his captaincy. Despite this drama, La Liga’s medical experts carried out a detailed evaluation at Barcelona’s training ground and validated the club’s injury report beyond reasonable doubt.

The consequence? Barcelona can now utilize the salary quota freed by Ter Stegen’s status to officially add Joan Garcia to their La Liga roster. Garcia had been training but was not eligible for league matches, creating vulnerability in the keeper position with Inaki Pena as the only other registered option. This development assures that Barca will field two fully registered goalkeepers for the start of the campaign.

What This Means for Barça’s Goalkeeper Situation and Squad Depth

Joan Garcia’s registration represents a significant relief for coach Hansi Flick, who had faced tough decisions amid the summer’s squad constraints. With Ter Stegen sidelined for the foreseeable future, Garcia’s availability bolsters Barca’s defensive reliability heading into the opening fixture against Mallorca.

Highlighting the practical impact:

There remains ongoing work for Barcelona to register other summer signings like Marcus Rashford and Wojciech Szczesny, who face their own administrative hurdles. Nonetheless, resolving the goalkeeper registration crisis is a vital early step in stabilizing the squad’s competitiveness.

Behind the Scenes: La Liga’s Injury Approval Process Explained

The La Liga Medical Committee’s role here is crucial and quite stringent. Their evaluation requires a comprehensive medical report from the club, followed by an on-site inspection and verification at training facilities. This process usually must be completed within 48 hours after report submission but was delayed in this case by several days, signaling the seriousness of the review.

To be classified as a long-term injury under La Liga protocols, the player’s absence must be verified to last beyond three months. Given Ter Stegen’s high profile and the financial implications for Barcelona, this scrutiny was unsurprisingly exhaustive.

This rigorous procedure ensures fairness across clubs, especially under the financial fair play and salary cap rules that La Liga tightly enforces.

Planning Your Visit: Experience Barça’s New Season with Garcia in Goal

For fans eager to witness Joan Garcia’s debut now that registration hurdles are cleared, Camp Nou remains an iconic venue to enjoy world-class football. Here’s what you need to know:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Garcia’s Registration and Barça’s Goalkeeper Status