Barcelona captain Marc-Andre ter Stegen probably has a number of years in Barcelona, with a contract until 2028, and at the age of 32, multiple progress as a goalkeeper. However, the German will certainly be in the last phases of his career, and with veterans Robert Lewandowski and Inigo Martinez will probably leave in the coming years, the Blaugrana are already looking for new leaders.
Frenkie de Jong, Ronald Araujo, Pedri and Raphinha are currently the quartet of vice-captains in Barcelona, but Ter Stegen already has an eye on one of them as a potential successor.
“You can now see that he is simply very harmonious. For me he is already a phenomenon, and it would not surprise me if he took over the bracelet from the captain. He will long for a stamp on this club,” he said Phrasenmaher, a Bild podcast that was quoted by Sport.
He also became the newest Barcelona player who was full of praise for manager Hansi Flick, who turned a sick team this season.
“The way in which Hansi leads and how much he takes care of his staff is something that is greatly appreciated and that he receives in exchange for the players. He is very good at empathizing with people and feeling what moves them. He often finds the right words, sometimes express his worries, but he always finds a good balance – and everyone gets on the same page.”
The Spanish press and fans have been just as exuberant in their praise for Pedri as Ter Stegen this season, after he had his fitness problems behind him. This year he only missed one game throughout the season because of a belly bug and he has been in midfield for Flick. Now that he controls competitions, he has made a good case to be their player of the season.