Barcelona long-term injury absentee resumes on-pitch training | OneFootball

As FC Barcelona continued preparations for this weekend’s La Liga game against Elche, they have been greeted with mixed news in training.

Wednesday brought about the heartbreaking development of Pedri suffering an injury which will keep him out for more than a month.

At the same time, Robert Lewandowski and Dani Olmo have resumed group training and might even receive their medical clearance in time for Sunday’s match.

Ter Stegen back training on the grass

Now, in another positive development, SPORT reports that Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen has begun light training on the pitch as he continues to recover from back surgery performed on 25 July in Bordeaux.

The 33-year-old club captain has been sidelined with a long-term injury, estimated to require around four months of recovery, meaning he is still expected to need at least another month before becoming available to Hansi Flick.

Ter Stegen back training on the pitch. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)

Ter Stegen is progressing well, but cautiously and without rushing his return. Simply stepping back onto the grass to perform light exercises represents an important motivational milestone for the veteran German.

Future uncertain

Once he is fully fit, Ter Stegen will face competition from Joan Garcia for the No. 1 spot at Barcelona, with the summer signing establishing himself as Flick’s preferred option in goal.

As such, the Barcelona captain could potentially consider a move elsewhere in the January transfer window.

After all, his main objective remains to be Germany’s first-choice goalkeeper at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Ter Stegen is attracting interest from clubs, with Premier League big-spenders Chelsea among the teams looking at him ahead of the winter window.