That's his job — Former Real Madrid goalkeeper backs Barcelona's decision to punish Ter Stegen

Legendary Spanish goalkeeper Santiago Canizares has backed Barcelona's decision to strip Marc-André ter Stegen of the captaincy, saying that it is a captain's job to settle conflicts, not create them.

As Pulse Sports reported, FC Barcelona have confirmed that Marc-André ter Stegen has been temporarily stripped of his role as first-team captain due to ongoing disciplinary issues.

The decision stems from a significant dispute with Ter Stegen, who has refused to sign a medical report required by La Liga after his recent surgery.

This document is crucial for Barcelona to leverage his absence, freeing up salary space to register new signings like Joan Garcia, pending approval from the league’s medical commission

Canizares who had multiple stints at Real Madrid and a legendary one at Valencia took a position on the side of the club, chastising the German for creating a dispute with the club.

"A captain represents the players in a match and at the negotiating table when it comes to bonuses or a dispute,” he said, per MD. “He can’t be lazy, create a bad atmosphere, or be selfish.

“He has to be an example. He has to encourage everyone to commit and perform well, to be a team player, to have a good vibe and to try to resolve conflicts.

“But, if you create conflict. If you have an open war with the club, it makes no sense for that player to be captain. The captain would now be there to resolve Ter Stegen’s conflict.”