German Football Union President slams Barcelona over Ter Stegen treatment – ‘It is undignified’ | OneFootball

Barcelona’s handling of the recent dispute with Marc-Andre ter Stegen has sparked outrage in Germany, with strong words from Carsten Ramelow, president of the German Footballers’ Union.

The saga, which involved tensions over the club’s treatment of the German goalkeeper, continues to draw backlash even after an agreement was reached.

In recent weeks, Ter Stegen, one of Barcelona’s captains, found himself at the centre of controversy. There were disagreements over his role and captaincy, leading to friction between the player and the club.

While the matter was resolved at the last moment, allowing the captaincy to be restored, many believe the damage to Barça’s image has already been done.

Speaking to Sport1 (h/t SPORT), Ramelow did not hold back: “What is happening at Barça is undignified.” His remarks reflect a growing feeling in German football that Barcelona mishandled the situation from the start.

Ramelow questions Barcelona’s respect

Carsten Ramelow has criticised Barcelona regarding Ter Stegen. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)

Ramelow reminded everyone of Ter Stegen’s loyalty and impact on Barcelona over the years.

“What image is Barcelona giving to the outside world now? I think it’s very bad. To want to end like this, I’m speechless.”

He also warned that such treatment of players is becoming a dangerous trend in football.

“Unfortunately, this seems to be the current trend in football. It is ruining a lot of things,” Ramelow stated, pointing out that loyalty between players and clubs is becoming increasingly rare.

His final words cut deep into the heart of the debate: “It can’t be that a player is only interesting as long as he wears the club shirt and performs at the highest level.”

For Barcelona, the Ter Stegen case is not just about one disagreement, it is about how the club is perceived in terms of respect for its long-serving stars.

At a time when the Catalan giants are striving to rebuild their legacy, incidents like this risk undermining their reputation both on and off the pitch.