Hansi Flick makes final call on Marc-Andre ter Stegen Champions League decision

Vishal Bhawani

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Hansi Flick makes final call on Marc-Andre ter Stegen Champions League decision image

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has ended the guessing game over who will be in goal for the club’s Champions League semi-final clash with Inter Milan.

And it’s bad news for Marc-Andre ter Stegen — at least for now.

Ter Stegen is finally fit again after a long spell out with a serious knee injury. The German star had been Barca’s first-choice goalkeeper for years.

But while he's ready to return in La Liga, Europe’s top competition will have to wait.

The problem isn’t form — it’s the formality of UEFA rules.

Barcelona would need to drop Wojciech Szczesny from their Champions League squad to bring ter Stegen back. And Flick, for now, isn’t ready to make that switch.

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What did Hansi Flick said ahead of Barcelona's UCL semi-final

Speaking ahead of the big game at Camp Nou, Flick made it clear: “No, Tek (Szczesny) will play in the Champions League, it's clear. And we're thinking about maybe a change in La Liga one day, we will see. But it's the next situation. Now Tek will play in the Champions League.”

Szczesny, who joined mid-season as an emergency signing, has been a surprise success. After sitting behind Inaki Pena, the former Arsenal and Juventus keeper grabbed his chance and ran with it — or dived with it, rather.

He played a key role in Barca’s Copa del Rey final win over Real Madrid and now stands between the posts in their push for a historic treble.

Ter Stegen was on the bench in that cup final — a sign he’s physically ready. But with Szczesny in strong form and UEFA’s registration rules in place, Flick has opted not to fix what isn’t broken.

Barcelona fans may be wondering when their long-time No.1 will return, but for now, it’s Szczesny who’s wearing the gloves in Europe.

Whether that holds through the final remains to be seen — but Flick’s cards are on the table.

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Vishal Bhawani

Vishal Bhawani is a sub-editor for the Affiliate Content team and a writer and sub-editor for the Football Wires team at The Sporting News. Based in Indore, India, he holds a Diploma in Operations and Management from Maharashtra University.

Before joining TSN in May 2024, Vishal contributed to Football Express and Six Sports and ran his own blog, Anfield Home, as a passionate Liverpool fan. An avid traveler, he follows multiple sports, including cricket, soccer, and tennis.