Barcelona likely to receive compensation in excess of €2 million from FIFA following injury to veteran star: Reports

Barcelona will reportedly receive over €2 million in compensation for the likely absence of goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who's set to have a back surgery. The 33-year-old German has been at the Camp Nou since arriving from Borussia Monchengladbach in the summer of 2014.

A key first-team player, Ter Stegen has kept 175 clean sheets in 422 appearances across competitions for the Blaugrana. However, he played just nine times last season, keeping one clean sheet, missing nearly the entire campaign because of a patellar tendon rupture before returning towards the end.

As per Mundo Deportivo (via Barca Universal), FIFA is set to pay over €2 million to Ter Stegen's club, Barca, as part of its Club Protection Programme. That's because he sustained his back issues while on Germany duty during their UEFA Nations League matches against eventual champions Portugal and France in June.

FIFA will compensate Barca at the rate of €20,548 per day if the player is unavailable for 28 consecutive days. If the German undergoes surgery, which he's said to be contemplating, that will keep him on the sidelines for four months, with Barca set to receive nearly €2.5 million during his period of absence.

It will pave the way for Barca's registration of Joan Garcia, with Ter Stegen set to release 80% of his salary to comply with La Liga's financial fair play rules, despite continuing to receive his full salary.

It's pertinent to note that the Blaugrana have benefitted from FIFA's Club Protection Programme in the last 24 months, as evident in the cases of midfielder Gavi and defender Ronald Araujo.

A look at Barcelona's 2024-25 campaign

Barcelona enjoyed a dream first season under new tactician Hansi Flick, who took over the Camp Nou job last summer, succeeding club legend Xavier Hernandez. The former Bayern Munich and Germany boss took to Spanish football like a duck to water.

The Blaugrana ended the season with all three domestic titles, usurping arch-rivals Real Madrid in the La Liga title race, finishing four points clear. They also beat Los Blancos in the finals of the Supercopa Espana and the Copa del Rey, going 4-0 against them, including a league double, during the season.

However, their hopes of a third continental treble were thwarted by Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League semis, with the Blaugrana going down 4-3 at home in extra time in the second leg to lose 7-6 on aggregate.

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Bhargav is a veteran sports journalist and editor at Sportskeeda, with a rich professional experience of 17 years, working for the likes of Siemens and Bombay Dyeing. An avid football and tennis follower for over three decades, Bhargav uses his vast knowledge and experience, attention to detail, an unbiased yet interesting writing style, and thorough research to craft insightful articles, which have raked in over 20 million reads so far.

Bhargav supports Italy at national level, a team steeped in tradition and history according to him. He still harbors the heartbreak from the Azzurri’s 1994 FIFA World Cup final defeat against Brazil, and protagonist-turned-antagonist from the game, ‘Divine Ponytail’ Roberto Baggio is his all-time favorite player. His favorite manager is Marcelo Lippi, who ended Italy’s 24-year wait for the World Cup trophy, winning it in 2006.

Outside Europe’s top five leagues, he follows the MLS following Lionel Messi’s move in 2023 but favors Cristiano Ronaldo in the G.O.A.T. debate. During his free time, Bhargav enjoys driving off to new places and singing.

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