Barcelona captain has already said goodbye to teammates and club staff ahead of exit | OneFootball

According to a report by Carlos Monfort in SPORT, a quietly emotional scene took place at FC Barcelona’s Ciutat Esportiva early this morning. 

As such, club captain Marc-Andre ter Stegen arrived ahead of schedule to personally say goodbye before the squad’s departure to Prague for their Champions League commitment.

It is said that the Barcelona captain made a conscious effort to greet not only his teammates, but also the people who form the backbone of the club’s daily life, including cooks, doctors, kit men and physiotherapists. 

Meanwhile, later today, the German goalkeeper is set to undergo a medical check-up before travelling to Girona to complete the next stage of his season.

Here we go!

As previously reported, Ter Stegen did not travel with the rest of the squad for the Champions League match against Slavia Prague. 

This is because Barcelona have permitted him to remain behind in order to finalise the paperwork for his imminent loan move to Girona, where he will stay until the end of the campaign.

Once the team departed for the airport, Ter Stegen remained at the Sant Joan Despi facilities to say goodbye individually to staff members. 

Ter Stegen is set to move to Girona. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

Many of those farewells were shared with people he has worked alongside daily for eleven years, relationships built on trust, respect and familiarity. 

Although the move is temporary and a return is expected at the end of the season, this marks the first real pause in his long Barcelona journey.

Ter Stegen wants regular minutes to ensure continuity ahead of the World Cup, which is one of his main objectives for the year. 

Without guaranteed playing time at Barcelona, staying put would have risked that goal. At this stage of his career, match rhythm has become non-negotiable.

Personal factors also played a crucial role, as the goalkeeper was determined not to move far from Barcelona for family reasons. 

Girona’s proximity allows him to maintain his routine, environment and stability over the next five months. 

From a financial perspective, Barcelona will cover around 90% of Ter Stegen’s remaining salary until the end of the season, while Girona will assume the rest, an amount reported to be under €1 million.