Ter Stegen: ‘My earliest memory of el clásico? Choosing Barcelona’

Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images

The German keeper has been for Barça for a long time

Marc-André ter Stegen has revealed that he has always had an affinity for FC Barcelona. In an interview ahead of el clásico, the keeper recalled his memories associated with the famous rivalry.

“Regarding my first memories of el clásico, I was 15 or 16 years old when I thought that if I had to decide at some point in my life, I would choose to go to Barcelona. At that age you don’t think of how hard it’ll be, but Barcelona’s philosophy always seemed interesting to me,” Ter Stegen said.

The German keeper was signed to Barcelona from Borussia Mönchengladbach, but his dream did not come true exactly how he planned.

“I didn’t play in my first clásico. I was angry because I wanted to play every game,” Ter Stegen said.

The German international was given only cup competitions to play in when he signed in 2014, and Claudio Bravo was chosen to start in league games. Barcelona only met Real Madrid in the league for the two years Bravo and Ter Stegen coincided at the Camp Nou, meaning the German did not get his clásico debut until 2016, in a 1-1 draw.

“It’s only when you get to Barcelona that you realize the true significance of el clásico,” Ter Stegen said.

Source: barcablaugranes.com