Barcelona suffered a 3–2 home defeat to Villarreal on the eve of their La Liga title celebrations.
The Catalan side entered the match with little motivation, having already clinched the La Liga title in the previous round. They currently sit at the top of the table with 85 points, while Villarreal occupies fifth place with 67 points.
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Barcelona will play their final match of the season against Athletic Bilbao at San Mamés on May 25, while Villarreal will face Sevilla at La Cerámica on the same day.
In a noteworthy development at Barcelona, sources close to the technical staff have revealed that new coach Hansi Flick has expressed serious doubts about retaining German goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen as the starting keeper next season. These concerns intensified following his underwhelming performance in the recent match against Villarreal, where the team conceded three goals—despite already having secured the league title.
Despite Ter Stegen’s long-standing tenure at Camp Nou and his notable performances in past seasons, Flick reportedly believes that the goalkeeper no longer provides the reliability the team requires. He fears that Ter Stegen may become a liability, potentially undermining the stability of the new project he is working to establish at the club.
According to internal reports, Flick has explicitly informed club president Joan Laporta that Ter Stegen’s continued presence could “destroy the team next season,” as he reportedly stated. The coach emphasized the need for a more consistent goalkeeper with a stronger mental presence, especially in high-pressure situations and European competitions.
