Barcelona's Savior In The Champions League Is Ter Stegen, Not Lionel Messi

FC Barcelona goalkeeper Marc Andre Ter Stegen. (Photo: Twitter @ mterstegen1)

JAKARTA - Barcelona will undergo a further Champions League match on August 9, 2020. The club that failed to win the Spanish League 2019/20 only needs to hope for the Champions League trophy to fill the trophy vacuum this season.

The Barcelona squad also had to work extra hard, and hoped for some of its key players to "save" the club. Barca has Lionel Messi who is often the winner, but not only him, in the back sector the Blaugrana will really hope for Marc-Andre Ter Stegen's magic.

Messi may be a player who is often praised because his contribution had a direct impact on Barca's victory. However, there is actually a Ter Stegen figure who has repeatedly saved the Blaugrana from defeat, but is rarely noticed.

Barcelona's defense is one of their weak points in this 2019/20 season. Apart from Gerard Pique, other defenders often appear inconsistent.

Against Napoli in the second leg of the last 16, this weak point could be the beginning of Barca's destruction if they are unable to perform well. Fortunately, Barca can still rely on the last player in defense, Ter Stegen, who still looks tough with a series of brilliant saves.

Launching Sport, Sunday 26 July, Ter Stegen's slick performance has helped Barca survive in the Champions League. The German national team goalkeeper performed very well against Borussia Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park.

Ter Stegen managed to stop Marco Reus' two mature opportunities, and saved a penalty from the German national team player in the second half. Then, in Barca's second match in the group phase, Ter Stegen appeared tough to stop the action of Inter Milan bomber, Lautaro Martinez.

Lautaro could have scored Nerrazurri's first goal, but Ter Stegen stopped the two Argentinian Inter Milan strikers from maturing. Barca were finally able to win the match which was quite difficult for the Blaugrana.

Then, when visiting Slavia Prague, Ter Stegen was again impressive in the 2-1 El Barca victory. In that match, Ter Stegen made three brilliant saves.

Ter Stegen has appeared in 6 Champions League matches this season, conceding 4 goals, and keeping 2 clean sheets. In total he has played 58 times in European matches with the Blaugrana with a record of conceding 50 times and 26 clean sheets.

Napoli already know very well that they have to face a tough wall called Ter Stegen. In the duel in the first leg, Napoli should have won had it not been Ter Stegen in Barcelona's goal.

Against Napoli, Ter Stegen made two crucial saves. First dispels Lorenzo Insigne's hard kick, then defeating Jose Callejon in a one-on-one duel.

Ter Stegen has proven himself to be one of the best goalkeepers in the world, at the same level as the likes of Jan Oblak, Manuel Neuer or Alisson Becker. If Barcelona goes far in the Champions League, it would not be wrong to call Ter Stegen the real hero, not Lionel Messi.