"Ter Stegen is the team captain, we wanted to give him a chance." - Hansi Flick comments on the German goalkeeper's return

Ter Stegen made his long-awaited return to the pitch after a lengthy absence.

Details: Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick shared his thoughts after his team's hard-fought victory in the Copa del Rey Round of 32 against Guadalajara, and also commented on the return of the 33-year-old German goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen:

"I'm very pleased with the attitude of my players and the win. Cup matches, even against lower-division teams, are always tough, but we played well. What matters most is the mentality and focus we showed throughout the match. Marc-André ter Stegen is the team captain. He's played many games for our club. We had a discussion within the coaching staff and wanted to give him the opportunity to play after such a long break.

Cup ties are never easy, as I've said before. The opponent defended brilliantly. I liked our players' approach to the game—there was no underestimation of the rival. That's the key to our victories. It's not always easy to score in such matches, but we managed to do it," Flick said in his post-match interview with Marca.

The Blaugrana managed to break down modest Guadalajara only in the closing stages, thanks to goals from Christensen and Marcus Rashford.

Ter Stegen returned to the field for the first time since May 18 of this year. Due to a string of injuries and a high-profile conflict with head coach Hansi Flick, the German goalkeeper was forced to miss half a year.

Ter Stegen’s current contract with Barcelona runs until June 2028.

Reminder: Clean sheet achieved. Barcelona finally ends their away match struggles