1 - Marc-Andre ter Ansplant

[Flavia]

I don't understand people trying to portray ter Stegen as ungrateful. He signed for Barça on what could Marca and MD almost call false pretenses, having been told that he's signing up for 1st goalie spot. When Lucho demanded Bravo and picked him as 1st goalie, MAtS accepted his lesser role and the "Claudio for LL & MAtS for cups" arrangement that doesn't favorize him without kicking up a fuss, reaction that would be imo understandable from players older than him.

Now let's be real, ter Stegen urgently needs experience and needs more minutes on pitch or he'll be stuck in the "talented young goalkeeper" career phase but sans the "young" part in the next few years while his peers like starters Trapp and Leno accumulate experience and will consequently replace him in NT as well. That's why people demanding ter Stegen to be happy with his status quo are unrealistic, Bravo is wonderful right now and his form could easily continue for up to 5 seasons. What age will MAtS be by then? How will his experiences compare to goalies in the same age bracket who routinely played all these years in all competitions? Lucho's decision not to play ter Stegen in CWC, as much as I respect it, is twice unfair. First of all, a big part of the reason we qualified for CWC in the first place were MAtS' quality performances in CL. Giving then those 2 matches MAtS was killing for on the pitch last season in Berlin to Bravo goes against the working Liga/cups agreement. Secondly, the current division of playing time between Bravo and MAtS is not 50-50, closer to 3/1. It's almost an ugly gesture to take those 2 CW Cup matches from MAtS and add to Claudio's pile. Before anyone comes at me, yeah of course nothing in pro football should be taken for granted but I'm not surprised ter Stegen might get tired being repeatedly blindsided and working on different terms that he was told he agreed on in 2014 and look elsewhere. That's not being ungrateful. Hailing him as the New Neuer can only last for so long - at his age, Neuer was the captain while MAtS sits out for most games. He'll be 24 soon and at this point his situation is detrimental his own success.

Welcome. Good 1st post.

 

[FC B]

He won't leave. Barca needs a good backup gk and he has a contract. Besides, that rumor is bs anyway.

I totally support the idea of playing Bravo, our nr.1 keeper in the most important matches of the season. Still I'm not happy with the rumours of Stegen leaving, this could be a very dangerous situation to our goal like the Valdes - Pinto duo not long ago, with al due respect to Masip ofc...

 

[Louis Bloom]

I recommend that he should leave. Would suit him better. It#s sad, he was a perfect fit for us and could have been our goalkeeper for a long time. Maybe Pep will snatch him and he will move to Man City.

 

[God Serena]

I don't understand people trying to portray ter Stegen as ungrateful. He signed for Barça on what could Marca and MD almost call false pretenses, having been told that he's signing up for 1st goalie spot. When Lucho demanded Bravo and picked him as 1st goalie, MAtS accepted his lesser role and the "Claudio for LL & MAtS for cups" arrangement that doesn't favorize him without kicking up a fuss, reaction that would be imo understandable from players older than him.

Now let's be real, ter Stegen urgently needs experience and needs more minutes on pitch or he'll be stuck in the "talented young goalkeeper" career phase but sans the "young" part in the next few years while his peers like starters Trapp and Leno accumulate experience and will consequently replace him in NT as well. That's why people demanding ter Stegen to be happy with his status quo are unrealistic, Bravo is wonderful right now and his form could easily continue for up to 5 seasons. What age will MAtS be by then? How will his experiences compare to goalies in the same age bracket who routinely played all these years in all competitions? Lucho's decision not to play ter Stegen in CWC, as much as I respect it, is twice unfair. First of all, a big part of the reason we qualified for CWC in the first place were MAtS' quality performances in CL. Giving then those 2 matches MAtS was killing for on the pitch last season in Berlin to Bravo goes against the working Liga/cups agreement. Secondly, the current division of playing time between Bravo and MAtS is not 50-50, closer to 3/1. It's almost an ugly gesture to take those 2 CW Cup matches from MAtS and add to Claudio's pile. Before anyone comes at me, yeah of course nothing in pro football should be taken for granted but I'm not surprised ter Stegen might get tired being repeatedly blindsided and working on different terms that he was told he agreed on in 2014 and look elsewhere. That's not being ungrateful. Hailing him as the New Neuer can only last for so long - at his age, Neuer was the captain while MAtS sits out for most games. He'll be 24 soon and at this point his situation is detrimental his own success.

This is a great post, but nothing that hasn't been dismissed by the Bravo brigade as ter Stegen fanboyism. I would sincerily hope Mats doesn't actually leave, as the competition between the two is a major reason why I believe Bravo is playing as well as he has been. My worst nightmare is Mats leaves and Bravo returns to his pre-Barca form when he looks around and sees his only competition is Masip.

 

[DonAK]

Loan him to Liverpool and sign a decent 2nd GK.

Having two such GKs was always bound to fail at some point. Didn't work at Chelsea last season either, although Mourinho took the bet on Courtois despite of what Cech had done for the club and was still performing at a high level.

 

[Icarium]

We honestly don't need him right now. Loan him and give bravo all competitions. Bring back mats one or two season later. Liverpool would be a great choice yes. And we better buy some 2nd choice keeper if we loan him though.

 

[DonAK]

Klopp is in market for a GK anyway and always rated him highly when at BVB(Maybe he saw him as Weidenfeller's successor). With their current below average goalkeepers, MAtS is guaranteed to be the 1st GK in all competitions for them.

 

[Barcaman]

We had a poor 2nd keeper in Pinto in his last season. It didn't look good.
And now some of you are calling for Stegen loan or sale. Yeah, that would be good for Barca.

 

[DonAK]

Must've dodged the part of signing decent GK.

 

[Flavia]

We had a poor 2nd keeper in Pinto in his last season. It didn't look good.
And now some of you are calling for Stegen loan or sale. Yeah, that would be good for Barca.

He won't accept to be backup, that much is certain. Contract or not, if for some reason Enrique changes the setup, as sport is claiming, and starts Bravo in the CL from now on, MAtS will ask to leave. In that case, the best would be a loan, so he'd come back in 2 or 3 seasons.

 

[spark]

I don't he would agree to go on loan at 24. It nothing like Courtois signing for Chelsea at 19. If he ever leaves it will most likely be permanently. Can't have your cake and eat it too. It doesnt make sense outside of Barca tinted glasses anyway. After spending 2 years adapting to a new club and country why would he go through that again if it wasn't for a permanent setting. Its just a cycle of instability when players that age are beginning to think about long term stable environments. "Oh its only 4 years waiting". With that logic he would be better off having stayed in Germany.

 

[Luftstalag14]

I can't fathom how Luis Enrique would make such a decision that Sport claimed, knowing the risk of potentially losing MAtS. I find it hard to believe.

 

[Observer]

It's all rumors at this point

 

[Ghostmaster]

Look at Mats face He's like - "yes I'm looking at you and I blame you"

 

[frog-fcb]

Maybe lucho is going to switch the roles now a bit or play whoever is most in form each game