Reason why Ter Stegen started for Barcelona against CD Guadalajara ahead of Szczesny – report

Barcelona’s Copa del Rey opener against CD Guadalajara produced plenty of on-field discussion, but one moment dominated the conversation long before kick-off. 

When the starting XI was released, Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s name stood out immediately. 

For a match that many expected to be a rotation-heavy affair, the German goalkeeper’s inclusion raised eyebrows across the fanbase and media alike.

The surprise was amplified by Hansi Flick’s own words in the build-up. During his pre-match press conference, the Barcelona manager had already confirmed that first-choice goalkeeper Joan Garcia would be rested for the tie. 

Given that context, the general expectation was clear that Wojciech Szczesny would step in between the posts. That assumption proved wrong.

Instead, Flick opted for Ter Stegen. Shortly after the match, Flick addressed the situation and was careful to frame it as a one-off decision, stressing that Ter Stegen’s involvement “is only for today”. 

Why did he choose Ter Stegen?

According to a detailed report from RAC1, the reasoning has now been clarified. 

Ter Stegen made a surprising start against CD Guadalajara. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

The outlet explains that Flick held a direct conversation with both Szczesny and Ter Stegen before finalising his decision. 

After those talks, and following discussions with the rest of the coaching staff, the coach agreed to back Ter Stegen for this specific match. 

The report states that this decision should be understood as a symbolic gesture, designed to help the captain regain visibility and potentially open doors if he wishes to explore options in the winter market, with an eye on playing regular football ahead of the World Cup.

It was during these conversations that Flick came to the conclusion that it was worth temporarily adjusting the hierarchy. 

The idea was to give Ter Stegen a platform to show that he is physically and mentally back and that he can still attract interest from other clubs. 

However, this move does not represent a long-term shift. The established plan in goal remains unchanged, and this appearance was not a revival, but rather a final professional courtesy.