Overview
- Marc-André ter Stegen started, captained, and kept a clean sheet in the Copa del Rey win at Guadalajara in his first appearance after roughly seven months out.
- Hansi Flick said post-match that Ter Stegen would only play that game, with reporting describing Joan García as the nominal first choice and Wojciech Szczęsny also in contention.
- Reports say the coaching staff is seeking the source of internal leaks, with journalist David Ibáñez indicating suspicions fall on club staff rather than players after widespread expectation that Szczęsny would start.
- Flick treated the tie as a live experiment, extending a season of heavy rotation to 26 players in 23 matches and reassigning roles mid-game, including Eric García shifting across three positions.
- La Vanguardia highlights Flick’s strong away record of 31 wins in 44 trips and notes he chose Ter Stegen for Guadalajara as the best fit for the setting, with a run of road fixtures and the Supercopa in Saudi Arabia ahead.