After what happened with the loss of his captaincy and his subsequent recovery after refusing to sign the report on his injury, there's trouble again with Marc-André ter Stegen. "RAC1" has reported that there's "discomfort at Barça" over the latest decision made by the German goalkeeper... which negatively impacts one of the economic "deals" currently underway.
Positioned with AFE
In recent hours, AFE (Spanish Footballers' Association) has issued a statement positioning itself against playing a LaLiga match outside Spain. Specifically, this refers to the match between Villarreal and Barça which, in principle, is scheduled to be played in Miami (United States).
This statement has the support and signature of all the Primera captains, including Ter Stegen himself.
According to the aforementioned information, Barça believes that "he shouldn't have done it because it contradicts the club's interests".
The truth is that Ter Stegen, as captain, hasn't consulted FC Barcelona's board regarding this matter. He has acted independently, signing and taking a stand against the economic interests of the blaugrana entity that pays his salary every year.
A lot of money at stake
Barça could earn between €5 and €6 million (5.5 and 6.6 million USD) just for agreeing to play this match against Villarreal on North American soil. This is a very significant figure considering the club's ongoing financial situation, with an urgent need for new sources of income.
Beyond the immediate economic benefit, playing in Miami gives Barça a privileged window into the United States market. LaLiga seeks to consolidate its presence in that country, and FC Barcelona, with stars like Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, or Lewandowski, will be one of the main attractions of the event.
The club presided over by Joan Laporta knows that every euro counts, and an extra income of €5-6 million (5.5-6.6 million USD) from a single match can make a difference in the season's balance sheet. Moreover, this is an away match in which no income was expected, much less of this magnitude.
Therefore, the fact that Barça's own captain, in this case Ter Stegen, takes a stand against the match in Miami is considered a serious detriment to the entity. At the very least, it is believed that he should have consulted and informed. But, as is often the case, the German acts independently despite holding the captaincy.