Ter Stegen a doubt for Copa del Rey final with knee injury
Marc-André ter Stegen has suffered a knee injury just nine days before Barcelona face Valencia in the Copa del Rey final.
Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen is a doubt for the Copa del Rey final after suffering a knee injury. Ter Stegen has played a key role in Barça's LaLiga title defence, making 35 appearances and displaying consistently excellent form. Not that Ter Stegen would be a guarantee starter for Barça the Copa del Rey final. Jasper Cillessen has been the team's keeper in the Cup this season although a calf muscle injury did force him to sit out both legs of the semi-final against Real Madrid.
Cillessen gaining minutes
Coach Ernesto Valverde has rested the German in recent weeks around the Champions League semi-finals and ahead of the Copa showdown with Valencia on 25 May, allowing Jasper Cillessen to step in for the league games against Celta de Vigo and Getafe.
However, Ter Stegen has still managed to sustain an injury, with Barça revealing on Thursday the 27-year-old is struggling with discomfort in his right knee. The club have not given any further details regarding the severity of the injury - a medical report issued my the club's medical department this afternoon stated the keeper was suffering from twinges to his right knee and his condition was being monitored. Ter Stegen will probably miss Sunday's trip to Eibar - the final league game of the season and in the meantime is a doubt for the showdown with Valencia in nine days' time. It's a new headache for Ernesto Valverde, whose team will be seeing to crown their season by winning a domestic double - he will already be without Luis Suárez for the final while Ousmane Dembélé, Philippe Coutinho and Arthur remain on the injury list.