Barcelona, Spain, \u200b\u200bDec 6 (EFE).- Barcelona’s German goalkeeper Marc Andre ter Stegen will undergo surgery this week to solve the problems in his lower back, the player said on Tuesday.<\/p>
Ter Stegen was injured last month during a call-up for the German national team and missed the last three games with Bar\u00e7a against Rayo Vallecano, Porto, and Atletico de Madrid, respectively.<\/p>
Although it was not confirmed if the German goalkeeper had suffered a herniated disc or a bulging disc, the surgery was expected to keep him off the field for weeks, until late February in the worst-case scenario.<\/p>
Ter Stegen has undergone conservative treatment in recent weeks and has punctually attended different recovery sessions at Joan Gamper Sports City without showing a sign of improvement, prompting the player to decide on surgery.<\/p>
Ter Stegen, the second captain of the side, has played 17 games this season, 13 in La Liga and four in the Champions League, keeping 8 clean sheets and conceding 15 goals.<\/p>
\u201cAfter intensive conversations with the medical team of the club and various supporting experts, we decided to undergo a surgical procedure,\u201d Ter Stegen said in his X (formerly Twitter) account.<\/p>
\u201cThe break obviously annoys me. It is the right and safe decision in order to come back in the best conditions for my Club @FCBarcelona and National Team @DFB Team,\u201d said the German goalkeeper.<\/p>
Inaki Pena held the bar in his absence and conceded two goals in the last three matches, though he had had some outstanding performances, especially in the matches against Porto and Atletico de Madrid. EFE<\/p>
vmc-fa\/am<\/p>
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