Marc-Andre ter Stegen, the best goalkeeper in Europe

Marc Andre Ter Stegen arrived at Barça in the summer of 2014 from Borussia Monchengladbach for 12 million euros. Hiring him was a bet by Andoni Zubizarreta, at that time the club's sports director. The German was 22 years old and faced the difficult challenge of replacing Victor Valdes. That same summer, Barca also signed Claudio Bravo, the more experienced goalkeeper whom Luis Enrique played in the League. Ter Stegen was kept for the Copa and the Champions League and his performance was excellent, Barça winning the treble that season.

Ambitious like few others, after spending a second season playing only in the cups, he turned up at the offices of the club with an ultimatum. He wanted to play everything. So he was also made the starter in the league or he left. The club, taking into account his age and his excellent performance, opted for him and sold Bravo.

The German was key in the two leagues that Barça won with Ernesto Valverde on the bench, but his performance dropped from 2019 due to problems with the patellar tendon in his right knee that forced him to go to the operating table and left him without a preseason.

That was, until last summer, when he was able to rest and prepare thoroughly for this season. This work has made him recover the level with which he shone at Barça in his first five seasons and has become a key man in the recovery of Xavi's side, and is already one of the captains after Pique's retirement.

One only has to look at Ter Stegen's numbers in the league, the competition of consistency, and compare them with those of the goalkeepers of the five major European leagues to verify that he is currently the most in form goalkeeper on the continent. The German has only conceded six goals in sixteen games and is on his way to winning his first Zamora trophy.

Barça are followed by Villarreal, shared by Rulli and Reina, with thirteen goals conceded, and Betis, also with thirteen goals conceded, and shared by Rui Silva and Bravo. Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Osasuna and Mallorca have conceded 16 goals.

If we take the numbers to Europe, Newcastle is the team with the fewest goals shipped in the Premier with eleven goals conceded, three less than the leaders, Arsenal. In Germany, Bayern lead and have let in thirteen goals. In France, Lens, second, have conceded thirteen goals, one less than PSG, leader of the competition. And in Italy, Juventus have conceded twelve goals, while Napoli, Serie A leaders, have shipped fourteen.

The numbers are even clearer if we take into account the games in which Ter Stegen has kept a clean sheet, games that add points for Barça. The German has achieved it in twelve of the sixteen games played by Barça in the League, 75%. They are followed by Rulli, already at Ajax, with 50%, seven out of 14, and the Athletic goalkeeper, Unai Simon, with eight clean sheets out of 17, 47.1%.

The poor numbers of Courtois, who has had back problems this season, are striking. The Belgian has only managed to keep a clean sheet once in the twelve league games he has played.