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The latest performances of Marc-Andre Ter Stegen They have reopened the debate about his physical condition and, above all, that of his right knee, which has been operated on twice. Precisely, the fragility that the German presents by his right hand feeds gatherings and generates theories. “He doesn’t have as much drive, force or reaction as before. He has conceded many goals in the zone of his right legmost of them anchoring their foot to the ground and not propelling themselves in the jump”, x-ray Andres Palop, goalkeeper analyst at the AC Talent agency. The data proves him right, since, not counting penalties and rebounds, he has received eleven more goals this year on the right side than on the left.
Those who attend training observe that Ter Stegen tends to initiate all lateral jumps with his left leg regardless of where the ball goes. They have no doubt that the knee limits his performance and they have even advised him to repeat the stem cell treatment that Dr. Cugat gave him two years ago, when he cleaned the joint of some calcifications and repaired the patellar tendon. It was after the humiliating 2-8 against Bayern. Quique Setien, Barcelona coach at that time, did not know until that moment the physical problems that his goalkeeper had been suffering, who had not communicated it to anyone. Some discomfort that has been reproducing, as evidenced by the therapeutic treatment to which he had to undergo in May on the same knee, the right, and which prevented him from playing in the European Championship. The doctor Hakan Alfredson He was in charge of the intervention. He missed the first two league games.
Within Barcelona it is suspected that Ter Stegen’s problems in his articulation may be chronic and that he is playing all the games with pain, which would affect its performance. However, the same sources warn of the causes that would be preventing the improvement of the joint. «A knee that has suffered this type of ailment You must do daily work to strengthen all the muscles of the leg and Ter Stegen is not too fond of gyms or following rehabilitation guidelines with different types of exercises, which means that he does not finish recovering, “they explain to ABC.
The doctor Peter Louis Ripoll, co-director of Ripoll and Del Prado, FIFA Medical Center of Excellence, explains to this newspaper the need to carry out “intelligent and constant rehabilitation”. «In tendon injuries, a recovery must be carried out where muscle power grows without recreating the overload. It is necessary to complement and strengthen the whole of the tendons of the knee and also recover the proprioceptionthat is, the automatic control of the knee by the brain”, points out the doctor.
The prestigious traumatologist explains that “the hamstrings, in the back of the thigh, hug the knee like a horse’s bridle and are the ones that play the most important role in the stability of the knee.” For this reason “they need work so that the tendon does not lose vitality.” «When the fabric leaves the slightest gap to training always have to do it“, Add. For this reason, Ter Stegen’s reluctance to follow a plan established by the physios can lead to a relapse. “But recovery from any injury has to be led by professionals. The player will be wrong to establish a recovery program on his own and more in a complex injury how are you. It is the injury that no surgeon wants to see, warns Dr. Ripoll.
Ter Stegen’s anger
The German goalkeeper is no stranger to the buzz that surrounds his performances and does not hesitate to express his discomfort whenever he has the opportunity. He did it in the run-up to the momentous European match in Naples, last week, and tried to settle all the doubts that hover over his performances. “I’m sure the results will come. In recent weeks, some of you (referring to journalists) have written something for pour more gasoline on the fire, and I understand. I am analyzing in each game what I am improving. I am calm with my performance because there are many things that I am doing well and others that I can improve”, accused the goalkeeper, who wanted to answer all those who doubt about the state of his knee after the last operation. “If I was out of shape, I wouldn’t be in the field because I have a lot of responsibility. If that were the case, I couldn’t play and I couldn’t be doing this press conference. I feel fine », he concluded.
However, Ter Stegen knows that he is no longer transferable and that his performance until the end of the season will determine his continuity, although he recently extended his contract until 2025 in a club maneuver aimed at lowering the wage bill. Even different information has leaked that the relationship between the goalkeeper and Xavi Hernández is not going through its best moment and that the coach would not see badly a relief in goal.
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