‘Ter Stegen? It’s up to Enrique’

Barcelona goalkeeper Claudio Bravo has distanced himself from talk of competition with Marc-Andre ter Stegen as “I don’t like to get into the Coach’s decisions”.

Bravo has been Barca’s No 1 in La Liga during his near-two seasons at the club, while Ter Stegen is considered first choice in cup competition, but despite admitting his frustrations in the past, the Chilean has since cast them aside for the sake of the collective.

“We’re feeling good, we’re ready for the important matches coming up and we want to keep doing things right,” he told Barca TV.

“Although we’ve had a couple of setbacks, we were given a wakeup call and we know both the quality and potential of this team.

“We’re often categorised as machines, but we’re not. We try to do our best. No competition or final has been easy. These last few games have taken us back to the calm.

“I don’t like to get into the decisions of the Coach [on rotation with Ter Stegen].

“We all know what we’re capable of, and we must work as best as possible to help the team.

“[Ter Stegen, Jordi Masip and I] are very different goalkeepers, and the Coach has learned when to pick one of us.

“I always work to play, but if I don’t play then I can spur the team on from the outside.

“[On superstitions], at first I wore the same gloves or entered the pitch with the same foot, but nowadays I try not to think about it too much. I treat football as something normal.

“The name of Barcelona comes with it many things; challenges, finals, important achievements…

“You have to work hard and know that things happen for a reason.

“You play while thinking about what comes next. We have the League and Copa [on the agenda], and I have major challenges with my national team. We must go step by step.

“A Barca goalkeeper must perceive tranquillity, beyond making saves or mastering his feet.”

Tags Claudio Bravo Luis Enrique Marc-Andre Ter Stegen
La Liga - Club News