Barça is experiencing turbulent days right before the league debut. The Spanish soccer summer is picking up speed and the debate goes beyond the field. Between summer 2025 signings and registration procedures, the spotlight returns to Barcelona two days before the opening match against Mallorca.
Laliga approves Ter Stegen's absence and allows immediate registration
LaLiga's Medical Committee certified that Marc-André ter Stegen's back injury meets the criteria for a long-term injury. With that ruling, the club announced that it will register Joan García for the start of the championship, after resolving the latest bureaucratic frictions with the German goalkeeper himself.
García arrived from Espanyol through the payment of his release clause and signed until 2031, a move the club activated in June. The medical approval clears the final step for the goalkeeper's registration in LaLiga.
Joan García arrives with consistency and solid numbers after 24/25
The goalkeeper from Sallent played every minute of all 38 LaLiga 2024/25 matches, a record only matched by David Soria. During that season, he conceded 51 goals and kept eight clean sheets, numbers that describe a profile with a high workload and remarkable competitive resilience. At 24 years old and 6 ft. 4 in. tall (1.94 meters), the leap to a Catalan giant comes at his peak maturity.
Paco Buyo's anger on X and his reference to "compadreo"
In this context, Paco Buyo lashed out on X with an openly critical message. "What did you expect to happen with the 'compadreo' between Barça, Miami, and Tebas," he wrote, suggesting that the outcome was a foregone conclusion.
The former goalkeeper added that it was a "long-term" injury that was foreseeable and compared it to his own experiences. A repeated accusation regarding the alleged favoritism of the league authorities toward Barça.
What the rule says and why there is no preferential treatment
LaLiga's own regulations allow part of the salary of a footballer on long-term leave to be used to register already signed reinforcements. The classification is decided by a medical committee, with a guideline threshold of about four months of absence. That is what happened with Ter Stegen, enabling Joan García's registration without any shortcuts. It is a regulated procedure, applicable to any club that meets the requirements.
Buyo's mention of "Miami" is connected to another case, unrelated to health matters. Barça and Villarreal have requested to play their December match at the Hard Rock Stadium, with the approval of the RFEF and pending final approval from UEFA and FIFA. Linking it to the injury registration mixes processes that are not dependent on each other.
García's fit in Flick's plan and the debut on the horizon
With medical and administrative clearance, Barça plans to have García available immediately. The goalkeeper arrives to compete right away in a team that has adjusted its structure with Hansi Flick and is seeking a clean and aggressive ball exit. With his recent experience and competitive consistency, the former Espanyol player offers reflexes, aerial play, and great aerial reading.
The controversy on social media doesn't change the essential fact: LaLiga's medical ruling activated a mechanism provided for by the regulations, and Barça used it to strengthen a key position.