Laporta's anger with Ter Stegen doesn't prevent the problems with the Barça and Gamper dressing rooms.

FC Barcelona will be presented to its fans on August 10th at the Joan Gamper Stadium. At that moment, Barça fans, after passing through the ticket office, will be able to see the new faces of the team, hear the captains' speeches , and also hear the coach Hansi Flick's speeches. It's a good opportunity to show their support for the team before the official start of the match on August 16th. But who will speak and convey the desires and ambitions of the Barça squad ? The question is troubling Barça executives in their offices.

The anger with Ter Stegen on the main floor after he refused to sign the release of his medical reports is significant. So much so that Barça activated its legal services to open a case against the German goalkeeper that could result in a sanction. Although, as this newspaper reported from sources at AFE, "it's a possible pressure measure" and "has no real scope or effect," the truth is that Barça canceled the meeting it had scheduled with the goalkeeper's lawyers.

Now, Barça is hoping the goalkeeper will step forward to meet with the club, and the club's lawyers are looking for ways to send the medical reports to LaLiga. If the club's Medical Commission approves, Barça could register Joan García and Szczesny with 50% of the salary Ter Stegen would be freed up for being out for more than four months.

Ter Stegen's speech is up in the air

A year ago, Marc-André ter Stegen took the microphone at the Gamper Stadium and fulfilled his role as the team's first captain. "It's an honor to represent this team, these colors , and this crest. Speaking of the past, we want to thank Xavi and his staff for what they've done ," the German began. "We also want to congratulate Sergi Roberto for what he has achieved at the club of his life. Both will be remembered in our home as two legends," he remarked.

In this regard, the German spoke loud and clear about one of his main desires: "I'm thrilled to return to our beloved home, the Camp Nou . Thank you for your support, Barça fans," he concluded. In 2024, the fans booed Frenkie de Jong, now an essential part of Hansi Flick's plans, and applauded Ter Stegen's words.

The bracelet, another brown one

Time moves at breakneck speed, and one season later, the situation is radically different. Nothing has gone as planned for the board, led by Joan Laporta. For starters, Barça will play for the Joan Gamper Trophy at the Johan Cruyff Stadium and not at Camp Nou, as the Barça president himself had announced (although he later deleted the video), and the fire in the Barça dressing room involving Marc-André ter Stegen is a ticking time bomb.

Barça's board of directors is in favor of stripping Ter Stegen of the captaincy , but the dressing room doesn't see it the same way. As this newspaper explained a few days ago, the problem for Laporta is that no one in the dressing room, nor on the coaching staff, wants to take the fall for taking his captain's armband . The dynamics in the offices are not the same as those in the locker room.

"Ter Stegen is a Barça legend and he deserves respect. He's the team's first captain because of who he is. We players will vote for the captains. He's had a really tough injury," Gavi stated on RAC1. Most of the Barça players who have spoken about the captaincy situation advocated voting for the captains themselves , as has always been the case at Barça, and some, like Gavi and De Jong, even came out clearly in favor of ter Stegen.

The most likely outcome would be for Barça to decide on its captains before competing for the Gamper Trophy. Can a player who's at odds with the board and under pressure through disciplinary proceedings remain a captain? Will the board , or even Hansi Flick, veto Ter Stegen's selection as the locker room heavyweight?