Germany Coach Nagelsmann Shocked By Marc-Andre Ter Stegen’s Injury

Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann said news of Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s serious knee injury came as a major shock after the Barcelona goalkeeper underwent an operation that is expected to sideline him for at least eight months.

Ter Stegen suffered a rupture of the patella tendon in his right knee, Barcelona said on Monday.

The goalkeeper took a hard fall while jumping for a ball during Barcelona’s 5-1 La Liga victory over Villarreal on Sunday, showing evident signs of pain as he was carried off the pitch on a stretcher.

His weight fell on the right knee on which he had two operations in the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons.

“The news of Marc’s injury was a big shock for us,” said Nagelsmann, who has now lost two experienced goalkeepers in a month following Manuel Neuer’s international retirement in August

“We will miss him a lot on and off the pitch,” Nagelsmann told the German FA (DFB) website on Monday.

“We wish Marc all the best… we will always be there for him on his way back.”

Nagelsmann chose two uncapped goalkeepers, Oliver Baumann of Hoffenheim and Alexander ñNubel of Stuttgart, to serve as backups for Ter Stegen during the Nations League matches against Hungary and the Netherlands earlier this month.9

Fulham’s Bernd Leno, who has nine caps, was called up to the squad in March but did not play.

Germany, currently leading their Nations League group with four points from two matches, is scheduled to face Bosnia and the Netherlands in October.