Luis Enrique's moral dilemma: Jordi Masip or Marc-Andre ter Stegen?
The Barça boss has to consider several factors when selecting his keeper for Athletic
Luis Enrique has a moral dilemma and another sporting one when it comes to Thursday’s game against Athletic Club. The sporting one comes with an easy solution: play Marc-Andre ter Stegen. The moral one is much more complicated: if he doesn’t play Jordi Masip he knows it is basically the end of the goalkeeper’s Camp Nou career, with his contract up in June.
Jasper Cillessen’s surprising injury (he returned from the winter break with a calf problem picked up while out jogging) has reopened a debate that with the Dutch keeper fit would not have existed. Cillessen is the second stopper and plays the cup games, while La Liga and the Champions League are reserved for first choice ter Stegen. Against Hercules it was Cillessen that played and he also would have done against Athletic. But his inopportune injury has changed things.
In normal circumstances, the logical thing for Luis Enrique to do would be to play Masip. But the keeper, who turned 28 this week and is the eldest of the three goalkeepers, has not been given minutes by the coach, despite being praised in press conferences. When Luis Enrique took the decision to sign Cillessen to replace Claudio Bravo, it was a big blow for Masip and on Thursday his Barça career could effectively come to an end.
MANAGING THE DRESSING ROOM
Luis Enrique has a third dilemma, too, which is the delicate management of the dressing room. Even though Masip is not a heavyweight within the squad, not playing him at San Mames could lead to a reaction in his defence, above all keeping in mind the importance of the hierarchy, balance and the sharing of minutes among the squad.
On a sporting level, of course, there is no doubt that ter Stegen should play. But Masip’s complicated situation leads to doubts. What decision will Luis Enrique take? On Thursday we will get the answer.
