"We never had problems between us" - Barcelona star rubbishes reports of rift with Germany captain Manuel Neuer
Barcelona star Marc-Andre ter Stegen has refuted the notion that he has any sort of rift with his international teammate Manuel Neuer.
Ter Stegen, formerly of Borussia Monchengladbach, has been a key player for Barca since arriving in 2014. After Claudio Bravo left, Ter Stegen became the undisputed number 1 and is now the captain of the team.
He has made 394 appearances for the club, keeping 165 clean sheets across competitions. Ter Stegen has made 17 appearances for the Blaugrana this season, keeping eight clean sheets.
However, has represented Germany only 38 times, despite making his debut in 2012. Manuel Neuer remains the first-choice keeper and is the captain of Die-Mannschaft.
Ter Stegen has shared insight into his relationship with Neuer, explaining it as one of tremendous mutual respect (via Barca Network):
“We were together in the national team for more than ten years, and the relationship is characterised by great mutual respect. Communication and support were always good, and we never had problems between us; we always had a very healthy professional competition.”
The Barcelona shot-stopper was also asked to share his take on Michael Ballack's comments. The ex-Germany captain said that Neuer should regain his status as the number 1 once he's back from injury.
Ter Stegen addressed the claim in a light-hearted manner:
“The good thing about living outside of Germany is that you don’t hear everything (laughs). Everyone is free to express their opinion. The only thing that matters to me is staying fit and performing well, and that’s how I want to prove my worth.”
Ter Stegen started between the sticks during Germany's 3-2 defeat to Turkey. The result marked a losing start to Julian Nagelsmann's reign.
Barcelona star Marc-Andre Ter Stegen shared his interesting training methods
Marc-Andre Ter Stegen is one of the best goalkeepers in the world and is a key player for Xavi's Barcelona. His shot-stopping ability, along with distribution skills, makes him a nightmare for attackers.
The German has shared that he trains with tennis balls to improve his reflexes and reactions (quotes via Mundo Deportivo):
"In Barcelona, I use tennis balls a lot in training. They help me improve certain movements and improve my reaction.”
Barca are third in La Liga with 30 points from 13 games and trail league leaders Girona by four points. The defending Spanish champions return to action on November 25, to take on Rayo Vallecano away.