When Barcelona last won the Champions League it was 2015 and Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Neymar and Gerard Pique were in the team.
Those big personalities have all gone but one thing remains the same – Marc Andre ter Stegen is still in goal, and the German keeper goes into Wednesday night’s game with Manchester United in the middle of his best season ever.
He has conceded just seven goals in La Liga and kept 16 clean sheets. He could be forgiven for focusing solely on his defence’s stunning form, but he shines a generous light on the young midfield now at the heart of Xavi’s side.
On the subject of long-time Manchester United target Frenkie de Jong the German goalkeeper makes out to tie some imaginary rope around his own leg and the chair he is sat on at Barcelona’s Joan Gamper training ground.
It’s to emphasize the point about wanting De Jong to stay. ‘I think one day I will just put something here to keep him here for ever. I hope he will be here for a long time,’ he says.
Barcelona’s Marc Andre ter Stegen has conceded just seven goals during the LaLiga campaign
‘I was hoping that he would stay [last summer] because this is the type of player I want to have in my team. There were many rumours and discussions but I am just happy that he stayed; I don’t want him to leave.
‘I have a super high opinion of him but I also expect a lot from him because of the player he is. He has so much talent. He sees and feels football in a different way and he is someone that players like Gavi and Pedri for example can look up to.’
After refusing to move to United last summer despite the clubs having agreed on a sale De Jong has been outstanding in a midfield that also includes Pedri, still only 20 and Gavi who is only 18.
The latter’s healthy disrespect for bigger and more experienced rivals and his boisterous energy, has bolstered a midfield that had become too easily bullied. Is he as wild and a aggressive in training as in games?
‘Yes he is,’ Ter Stegen smiles. ‘I think he gives us something very different. You can see it in matches, when it’s minute 90 and he is still jumping up and he doesn’t care if the guy next to him is two metres tall, he just sees the ball.
‘It’s his mentality. From the first time he played for us he didn’t worry about anything and that is his strength. He doesn’t think about the consequences. This is what we needed.’
It’s fitting that Xavi’s Barcelona is being built on midfield personality. He was a substitute in that 3-1 win over Juventus in Berlin in the 2015 Champions League final and Ter Stegen insists having shared a dressing room with his coach has been a help not a hindrance.
‘You have to understand what he wants, but it is always easier if you already understand him and you know how he wants everything on the field,’ he says.
Ter Stegen spoke highly of young midfield team-mate Gavi (pictured, left) and Pedri
Barcelona head coach Xavi has helped guide the Catalan side top of the Spanish table
And he believes that for all the ‘son of Pep’ talk when Xavi took over, he is his own man who stands apart from Guardiola.
‘I think it’s good that he worked with many good coaches and it’s normal that you pick what you like the most [from each one]. You take out your ideas and you put them all together. He had a clear mind-set, a clear plan, and he is different to Pep or whoever.’
There has been a pragmatism to Xavi’s approach and Ter Stegen believes it will stand Barcelona in good stead against the challenge presented by Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United.
‘It’s interesting to see how we can react in certain situations and knowing that we play Manchester United it might be very different to what we know from La Liga and we will have to adapt. You have to have a plan for every situation.’
Xavi’s pragmatism is reflected in a willingness to grind out results – there have been five 1-0 wins since the turn of the year. The defence playing in front of Ter Stegen has also evolved.
Ter Stegen insists that Barcelona will have ‘a plan for every situation’ against ten Hag’s side
When Barcelona drew 3-3 with Inter Milan in their last home group game and all but confirmed their dropping down into Europe’s second competition, their back four was Sergio Roberto, Pique, Eric Garcia and Marcos Alonso.
Since then 19-year-old full-back Alejandro Balde has graduated to first team regular, former Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen has gone beyond expectations, and Jules Kounde and Ronald Araujo have both recovered from injury.
Alonso, Roberto and Garcia can no longer get into the team and Pique has retired – his role as fourth club captain taken by Ter Stegen.
‘He left quite a big space in the locker room and also on the field as a captain, as a leader. I am there for everybody who needs help,’ he says.
Everyone at the club knows the Europa League needs to be a blip and not a habit. Players such as Robert Lewandowski did not join from Bayern Munich to play the second tier competition.
‘His growing influence has been another positive. ‘He was really interested in [learning] the language and that makes a big difference in terms of the conversations,’ Ter Stegen says.
Roberto Lewandowski has scored 14 goals in 18 appearances in the Spanish top-flight this year
‘Now he is able to talk to the younger players and of course if Lewandowski talks to you as a younger player, you will listen. You should listen!
‘The lockerroom has changed since I’ve been here but that’s inevitable. When I joined it was a ready-built team. Now we had to construct a new project.’
The old voices – Those of Messi, Suarez, Neymar and Pique are gone but others are now being heard.
‘It doesn’t matter if you’re younger or a bit more experienced; everybody has a voice,’ he says.
There will be plenty of voices in the Camp Nou tomorrow night. Barcelona have never lost at home to Manchester United with three wins and two draws in the five games and save for the 4,000 travelling supporters the old stadium – due to be shut for rebuilding next season – will be full of Barça fans.
Ter Stegen will be hoping to maintain Barcelona’s unbeaten record at home against United
When Barcelona went out of the Europa League last season their ground had been overtaken by 30,000 Eintrach Frankfurt fans – symbolic of the way they had become a pushover in Europe. ‘
‘Thats was tough,’ Ter Stegen says. ‘It didn’t feel like we were playing at home. But that wasn’t the reason we didn’t go through.’
He knows a lot was wrong with the team – so much of which has been put right.
‘We are in the process of growing again,’ he says. Desperate to eliminate United on they way to what would be Xavi’ first European trophy since he won the Champions League – while still a player and with Ter Stegen still in goal.
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