Ter Stegen wants to avoid operation, and his replacement finally seized his chance

Marc Andre ter Stegen is suffering from back problems. Because of them, he has not defended since mid-November, because of them he missed the crucial match for the knockout phase of the Champions League with Porto and last night's derby in Montjuic with Atletico Madrid. But Barcelona are in no panic mood as they have a capable back-up Inaki Peña. Barcelona's medical team suggest it is best for Ter Stegen to undergo an operation, but the Germany international wants to wait and consider his options. The therapies he has undergone in recent weeks have not yet solved the problems facing the first goalkeeper of the Catalans - tests showed that he is not ready, but the German does not want to rush. Surgery is certainly the most radical, but in perspective, the most effective solution. The decision is awaited, but there is no panic among the Catalans. Inaki Peña did a masterful job last night against Atletico Madrid and with three key interventions helped Barca get all the points.

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The most talked about is the one from the 82nd minute, when he made a fantastic save after Memphis Depay's free kick. But let's not forget that in the fourth minute of stoppage time he prevented Angel Correa's equalizing goal. The cameras immediately caught the injured Ter Stegen applauding his club colleague for his masterful defense. Also, Peña was one of the key figures against Porto in the middle of last week. Then he had four interventions in the 2:1 victory that took Barca to the top 16 teams in Europe.

"What is happening to Iñaki Peña is the victory of a normal man who worked in silence for five years. A great goalkeeper, a professional with a top mentality. He deserves everything that happens to him," the Spanish media write today about the hero Peña.

And the 24-year-old from Alicante, who grew up in Barca and has been waiting for a chance to play for years (with a six-month loan to Galatasaray in the 2021/22 season), remained humble.

"I try to train a lot, but when you don't play a lot, when you have a goalkeeper like Ter Stegen in the team, who in my view is one of the best goalkeepers in the world in the last four, five years... It's difficult, but I'm learning from him and to do my best. At the end of the day, it's a competition" Peña said.