Hansi Flick Set to Relegate Ter Stegen to Third Choice

Hansi Flick has wasted no time marking his authority at Barcelona, and his first seismic decision is to tell stalwart shot-stopper Marc-Andre ter Stegen that he will start 2024-25 as the club’s third-choice goalkeeper.

Hansi Flick’s early shake-up at Barcelona

The German coach only landed in Catalonia a few weeks ago, yet Hansi Flick has already scheduled meetings with sporting director Deco and president Joan Laporta to outline a new competitive vision. Central to that blueprint is the restructuring of the goalkeeping hierarchy. While Ter Stegen has been a fixture between the sticks since 2014, Flick believes a fresh order will sharpen internal competition and align Barça with his high-press, sweeper-keeper philosophy.

Why Ter Stegen is slipping down the pecking order

A lingering back problem limited the former No.1 to just 26 league appearances last term, and Hansi Flick is concerned that the 32-year-old’s reflexes and distribution have regressed compared with younger rivals. The German tactician intends to promote in-form academy product Arnau Tenas, who excelled on loan at Paris FC, to second choice. The starting shirt, however, is expected to go to on-loan Valencia star Giorgi Mamardashvili once a permanent deal is wrapped up in July.

Technical data behind the decision

Flick’s staff have pored over advanced metrics: post-shot expected goals minus goals allowed (PSxG-GA), progressive passes, and high-claim success. Ter Stegen’s PSxG-GA slipped to +1.1, while Mamardashvili posted +6.4. Additionally, the Georgian completed 8.3 progressive passes per 90 minutes—almost double Ter Stegen’s 4.5. Those numbers solidified Hansi Flick’s conviction that a change is necessary if Barcelona are to play a higher defensive line without fear.

The meeting: Flick, Deco, and Ter Stegen

Sources close to the dressing room say Hansi Flick will hold a frank, face-to-face chat with Ter Stegen on the first day of pre-season. The coach will praise the veteran’s leadership but explain that game time will be limited to Copa del Rey early rounds and less-critical fixtures. Deco is prepared for potential tension but maintains that the decision is purely sporting. Barcelona also need to trim their wage bill to satisfy La Liga’s financial fair-play controls, making a reduced role for a high earner logical.

Ter Stegen’s stance: loyalty over minutes

Despite the demotion, Ter Stegen has told confidants he refuses to leave. The German international feels indebted to the Blaugrana fanbase and believes he can fight his way back into favour, just as he did under Luis Enrique in 2015. Agents have sounded out Bayern Munich and Newcastle United, yet the player has rejected overtures, insisting his family is settled in Catalonia and that he relishes the challenge.

Implications for Germany and Euro 2028

Hansi Flick’s call could indirectly affect the national team. While Flick is no longer Die Mannschaft boss, Germany’s current coach Julian Nagelsmann wants his goalkeepers playing regular club football. A season on the bench could jeopardise Ter Stegen’s hopes of overtaking Manuel Neuer as Germany’s No.1 heading toward Euro 2028. Flick, however, is focused solely on Barcelona’s needs, reiterating that international ramifications are “for others to solve.”

Transfer ripple effects

By downgrading Ter Stegen, Barcelona free up resources to reinforce other areas. Hansi Flick has earmarked a dynamic pivot and a right-back who can invert into midfield. Funds saved on potential Ter Stegen bonuses will likely be redirected toward Bayer Leverkusen’s Álex Grimaldo and Girona’s Aleix García. Moreover, academy prospect Diego Kochen is now expected to back up Tenas in domestic cup ties, illustrating Flick’s commitment to La Masia.

Fan reaction splits opinion

Social media lit up after early reports of Flick’s plan. One camp hails Hansi Flick for making a ruthless, merit-based choice; the other laments what they see as disrespect toward a club legend. Supporters groups have organised a Q&A with club directors to seek clarity, while merchandising data already shows a 14% dip in sales of Ter Stegen’s shirt compared with the same period last year.

Historical parallels

Barcelona have endured high-profile goalkeeper rotations before. In 2014 Luis Enrique alternated Ter Stegen and Claudio Bravo with success. Go further back and you find the Rüştü Recber–Víctor Valdés saga under Louis van Gaal. Hansi Flick, an avid student of club history, believes decisive action early in his tenure will prevent the kind of prolonged uncertainty that undermined past campaigns.

Looking ahead to pre-season

Player fitness tests begin 10 July, and Hansi Flick wants his chosen No.1 in place before the U.S. tour kicks off against LA Galaxy. Tactical sessions will emphasise rapid distribution, off-ball positioning, and coordination with a re-imagined back four likely starring Jules Koundé as a hybrid centre-half/full-back. The coach is confident that healthy competition, rather than hierarchy, will spur higher standards across the squad.

Opinion: a calculated gamble

Demoting a seasoned performer like Ter Stegen is undeniably risky, yet it underlines Flick’s belief that sentiment cannot outweigh performance data. If results follow, the German will be hailed as a visionary; if not, critics will point to this call as the moment harmony was lost. Either way, the message is crystal clear: at Barcelona under Hansi Flick, reputation alone guarantees nothing.