Ter Stegen warns Flick: "I will give him a little push to let him know I'm ready"

Marc-André Ter Stegen is one of the main reasons for the 'smile' that has appeared on the 'face' of FC Barcelona in recent days. The team's brutal performance on the field is complemented by the good news coming from the blue and garnet infirmary, where the German goalkeeper is progressing more than satisfactorily and is increasingly ready to don the shorts in this final stretch of the season.

The goalkeeper has already started training with the rest of his teammates with the aim of returning to the pitch this season, although both the blue and garnet entity and his coach are clear that they will not rush the captain's return. However, the expectation is that the player will be available by the end of April. In the midst of his recovery, the German has opened up about his physical condition in an interview given to the podcast 'Phrasenmähre' of the newspaper 'Bild'.

"If I handle the pressure well and all aspects of training with the team, I will give the coach a little push to let him know I'm ready"

"Now, after six months, I have returned to training with the team, feeling more fit than ever and full of energy. I have a great team around me, I can handle any pressure and I am very eager to play soon, without having a specific date," Ter Stegen began explaining, not hesitating to send a strong warning to his coach.

"If I handle the pressure well and all aspects of training with the team, I will give the coach a little push to let him know I'm ready," warned the German, who recalled what he felt after rupturing the patellar tendon in his right knee.

"The first thing I felt was a pull in my thigh. The pain coursed through my entire body. Looking down, I knew instantly that it wasn't just a problem in my thigh. My knee was in a completely different position than it should have been, and it was clear that it couldn't be put back in place just like that," confessed Marc-André, who expressed gratitude that "the Villarreal fans, the opponents, and my teammates applauded me while I was taken off the field".

His relationship with the young players at Barça

Ter Stegen also joked about the youth in the Barça locker room and pointed out that he could be the father of most of the young players on the team. Additionally, he highlighted that the management of the coaching staff "is not difficult at all, the boys are very clear about everything" and emphasized that "just seeing how focused Pedri is, he is a phenomenon".

In the same way, the German revealed that he has taken advantage of his time away from the pitch to develop another 'hobby'. "I recently started playing the piano, taking real lessons and doing my homework," he commented.

Finally, Ter Stegen confessed that his being a backup with Germany in the 2018 World Cup was "the decision that affected me the most". "I played almost all the matches and that was my best year up to that point. For me, it wasn't fair at that moment," assured the German who experienced that edition of the international competition from the bench, behind a Manuel Neuer who had missed almost the entire season due to injury.