The club has been active throughout the summer window, securing deals for Marcus Rashford, Roony Bardghji, and Joan Garcia ahead of the 2025/26 campaign. ..Continue Reading
All three newcomers have featured in Barcelona’s pre-season outings but are still awaiting their official debut in a competitive fixture.
Barcelona are scheduled to begin their league season on August 16 with an away game against RCD Mallorca, yet none of the new recruits are eligible to play until they’re officially registered.
To resolve this registration issue, the club is reportedly considering invoking an obscure regulation within La Liga, which might require legal action involving a key squad member.
According to Spanish outlet *Mundo Deportivo*, the club has instructed its legal department to explore possible disciplinary measures against team captain Marc-André ter Stegen amid growing uncertainty around his future.
The article indicates that Barcelona intend to use the goalkeeper’s recent back operation to activate a special injury clause that could allow them to register Joan Garcia.
However, to proceed with that request, Ter Stegen must agree to share details of his medical condition by signing a release form—something he has not yet done.
Because of this refusal, the club has requested immediate legal review to assess whether the 33-year-old could face internal sanctions, given the potential financial impact of his decision.
Nevertheless, current legal interpretations suggest the player has every right to decline, and Director of Football Deco plans to meet with him soon to address the issue personally.
La Liga regulations state that if a player is expected to be sidelined for four months, their club may access 50% of their salary cap space to sign a replacement—and that figure rises to 80% if the injury spans five months or more.
Since Ter Stegen is projected to miss four to five months while recovering, Barcelona could take advantage of this rule to bring in another goalkeeper.
That salary allocation could then be used to register Garcia or veteran Wojciech Szczesny, who recently renewed his deal after coming out of retirement to stand in for Ter Stegen last season.
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