Until now, the conflict had been handled with kid gloves. Protocols had prevailed. A narrative of normalcy had been sold.
But the official narrative no longer convinces anyone, either inside or outside the locker room. What was once a crack has become a chasm. What was once contained discomfort has turned into direct confrontation.
This isn't a simple sporting disagreement. This isn't a medical misunderstanding. What's happening in Barça's locker room has a name and a face.
There is a singled-out player. It's no longer being hidden. Leaks that were previously cushioned with statements now come accompanied by disciplinary measures.
The president has decided to intervene personally.
Ter Stegen, in the eye of the storm
The situation is more complex than it seems. It's not just a one-off disagreement, but a conflict with legal, financial, and sporting implications.
This is a critical situation that has put president Joan Laporta in an uncomfortable position and threatens to leave consequences in the middle of August, when the locker room needs stability the most.
The document that changes everything
Marc-André ter Stegen, who underwent surgery last November for his lower back problems, is still unavailable. No one at the club questions his recovery. The disagreement revolves around a bureaucratic procedure.
Barça needs to register his replacement, Joan García, but to do so, it must justify to LaLiga that the German is on long-term leave.
This step requires a signature: Ter Stegen's, who must authorize the final medical report to be submitted to the league. However, the goalkeeper doesn't want to sign.
It's not out of whim, but due to a mix of distrust and personal convictions. He's not convinced by the procedure. He fears it could be used against him, and his refusal has been interpreted as a sign of disloyalty.
Laporta loses patience
The club's reaction didn't take long. The board believes Ter Stegen is blocking a key operation.
Flick needs a goalkeeper. Joan García, signed from Espanyol, can't be registered until a roster spot is freed up.
Ter Stegen's is the most viable due to his injury. Without his consent, the plan falls apart.
Joan Laporta has taken action. There haven't been public statements, but there have been internal moves.
Barça has opened a disciplinary case against the player for not cooperating with the club in a procedure they consider essential for the proper functioning of the team.
The gesture has a clear meaning: diplomacy is over.
Breakup on the horizon
The atmosphere is unbearable. Flick, who counted on the goalkeeper as one of the locker room's heavyweights, is facing an unexpected crisis.
The German also has the support of many teammates, which complicates things even more. The board is willing to go all the way. In Ter Stegen's camp, talk of an exit is already starting if the conflict isn't solved.
However, Ter Stegen's departure from the club won't be easy either. The goalkeeper is demanding everything he's signed for through 2028. Only then, with a free transfer and receiving all his due payments, would Ter Stegen agree to leave Barça.
He believes that after more than a decade faithfully serving the club's interests, it's the least he deserves,