Abhay Singh
Barcelona had an impressive performance, continuing their flawless beginning to the Spanish league season, yet faced a setback as they saw goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen sustain a severe knee injury during the match on Sunday.
Despite the victory extending their unbeaten run, the team was left concerned about the absence of their key player and the impact it could have on their upcoming fixtures.
The injury raised questions about how they would adjust their strategies moving forward to compensate for his absence.
Barcelona routed host Villarreal 5-1 to pick up its sixth straight victory
In order to win the competition for the sixth time in a row, Barcelona easily defeated the hosts Villarreal 5-1. However, shortly before halftime, captain Ter Stegen had to be helped off the field on a stretcher due to an awkward fall that caused his right knee to bend.
Although additional testing would be carried out, Barcelona President Joan Laporta stated that the injury looked to be a torn ligament. According to accounts from the local media, Ter Stegen arrived at the hospital in an ambulance from the stadium and left in a wheelchair.
Hansi Flick said “This injury makes us sad. I think the injury will be huge but we have to wait for more information, We have to accept it. It’s not easy. It was an accident. It’s very tough.”
Ter Stegen went to the ground in anguish and players from both teams screamed for help almost away. Inaki Pena, a backup goalkeeper, took his spot.
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois showed his support to Ter Stegen
With a statement on X, Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who missed the majority of the previous season due to a similar injury, expressed his support for Ter Stegen by stating that it saddened to see his colleague leave the field in that manner and wished for a speedy recovery.
It was the most recent injury to Flick’s Barcelona team, which is already missing Ronald Araujo, Frenkie de Jong, Gavi, and Dani Olmo.
Robert Lewandowski scored twice for the Catalan team in the second half, while Raphinha added two more goals after the break. With six goals from the first six games, Lewandowski currently leads the league in scoring.
With his team already behind 2-0, Ayoze Pérez scored the lone goal for the hosts in the 38th minute. Four points behind Barcelona in fourth place going into the round, was Villarreal. In its first six games, Barcelona has outscored its opponents 22–5. It leads Real Madrid, who defeated Espanyol 4-1 on Saturday, by four points.
Atletico Madrid’s 1-1 tie with Rayo Vallecano, a rival of Barcelona, cost them the opportunity to stay up with them. Isi Palazon gave Rayo the lead in the 35th minute, while Conor Gallagher gave the visitors a response in the 49th. Atletico was fresh off three victories in a row across all competitions.
In different outcomes On Sunday, Athletic Bilbao trounced Celta Vigo 3-1 while Getafe and Leganes drew 1-1.
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