Ter Stegen: World Cup ambitions in doubt, return to Barcelona on the cards as German star suffers injury

Germany international shotstopper Marc-André ter Stegen has seen his World Cup ambitions thrown into doubt, as he suffered a hamstring injury, which is set to rule him out for up to two months.

The 33-year-old left the Blaugrana on loan to Girona in the winter transfer window in search of more gametime after he lost his starting spot to Joan Garcia. However, he could be set for an abrupt return to the Catalan giants after his injury.

Ter Stegen has battled with injuries recently; he was ruled out for four months at the start of the season after injuring his back, an absence which hindered him from competing for the No. 1 shirt before Joan Garcia's excellent performances put it beyond doubt.

He left Barcelona hoping to play consistently at Girona to help ensure he keeps his starting role for Germany at the World Cup in the summer. He started the first game he was eligible for at Girona but has now suffered a hamstring injury.

According to Football Espana, he is expected to miss at least two months of action. With the transfer window closing in hours, Girona are believed to be evaluating the market for a replacement. Should their search be successful, Ter Stegen is expected to return to Barcelona.

Barcelona's head coach, Hansi Flick, reacted to news of the injury in the pre-match press conference for their Copa del Rey clash against Albacete, expressing his disappointment and speaking on the likelihood of him returning to the club.

“I just found out about his injury. I feel bad for him," Flick said. "We have to wait for the results of the tests. I have not spoken to him or to Deco. We have to wait and see (whether he returns to Barcelona)."