Barcelona sealed their preseason preparations with a commanding 5-0 victory over Italian side Como on Sunday at the Johan Cruyff Stadium, showcasing fluid play under coach Hansi Flick while signaling a resolution to the recent captaincy dispute involving goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen.
The reigning Spanish champions, training away from the still-under-renovation Camp Nou, looked confident and cohesive ahead of their La Liga title defense kickoff against Mallorca this Saturday.
Goals from Brazilian winger Raphinha, Fermin Lopez (two), and teenage sensation Lamine Yamal (two) cemented the rout in the Joan Gamper Trophy match.
England international Marcus Rashford, who joined on loan from Manchester United just two weeks prior, featured in the opening lineup for the first time since moving to Catalonia.
Rashford contributed the assist for Raphinha’s goal but also missed a golden opportunity to score into an open net.
More significant than the scoreline was Ter Stegen’s return to the captain’s role, ending weeks of tension stemming from his back surgery and disagreements over the timing of his recovery.
The 33-year-old German goalkeeper had been stripped of captaincy on Thursday after the club questioned discrepancies in his medical report — a key document needed to clear salary-cap space and allow Barcelona to register new signings without breaching La Liga’s financial fair play rules.
On Friday, Barcelona announced Ter Stegen had authorized the club to send his medical report to La Liga, closing the disciplinary case and restoring him immediately as first-team captain.
Ter Stegen addressed the fans before kickoff, saying, “I think it was important to resolve the issue between the club and me. Now, it’s time to look forward. We’re going to fight again for all the trophies, and we hope with your help we can win every title possible.”
The German wall also took to social media to clarify his side, rejecting “completely unfounded” claims about his surgery and recovery timeline. “The decision to undergo surgery was made after consultation with medical professionals and fully approved by the club,” he said. “I publicly shared the estimated three-month recovery period, coordinated with the club. My priority has always been to return to the field as soon as possible and help the team.”
The goalkeeper emphasized his disappointment at suggestions he delayed registrations to benefit other teammates, calling those interpretations “unfair and inaccurate.”
Ter Stegen has deep ties to Barcelona, having missed most of last season due to a ruptured tendon in his knee and subsequent back surgery.
His replacements last term included veteran Wojciech Szczesny and Inaki Pena.
Barcelona also reinforced its goalkeeping squad with Espanyol’s Joan Garcia this summer.
After returning from a preseason tour in Asia, the team aims to carry momentum into the league opener. With the Camp Nou’s long-awaited modernization still pending, the Johan Cruyff Stadium remains their temporary home for training and select matches.
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