Barcelona Hit Snag in Ter Stegen Contract Termination Due to La Liga Rules

The situation between FC Barcelona  and Marc-Andre ter Stegen remains at a standstill, with the relationship at an all-time low

The German goalkeeper is refusing to sign the medical report that would allow the club to declare a long-term injury, thereby freeing up wage space to register his replacement.

Given his stance, the Catalans have opened a disciplinary file against their captain and are exploring possible measures to be taken against him, with the idea of a contract termination being floated around

Why Barcelona are not terminating Ter Stegen’s contract
As the conflict intensifies, the question is increasingly being asked: Why does Barcelona not simply terminate Ter Stegen’s contract?

According to SPORT, the major obstacle in Barcelona pressing forward with the termination of the veteran star’s contract is the LCPD.

The LCPD (Limite de Coste de Plantilla Deportiva) is the squad cost limit imposed by La Liga on each club based on their revenue and financial health.

In the last official count by the league in February 2025, Barcelona’s LCPD stood at €463 million, though the club claims it has since surpassed €500 million.

This limit includes not only player salaries but also variables such as bonuses, commissions, transfer amortisations, and crucially, compensation for dismissals or contract terminations. This is the key in Ter Stegen’s case.

Ter Stegen’s situation has become a headache for Barça. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
Ter Stegen is under contract until June 2028. According to the report, the goalkeeper is unwilling to forgo a single euro of what he is owed.

Therefore, if the club were to unilaterally terminate the contract, it would be obligated to pay him the full amount: approximately €42 million gross, or around €14 million per season.

La Liga requires it to be counted under the LCPD, just like a regular salary. Essentially, terminating Ter Stegen’s contract would not free up salary space; it would instead add “dead money” that offers no fair play benefit unless the player agrees to a reduction or settlement.

According to La Liga’s Budget Preparation Regulations for Clubs, under the section on Squad Expenses, it specifies:

“Amounts to compensate for damages or losses, severance payments, or any type of agreement that results in the end of an employment relationship. For example, compensation for unilateral contract termination by the club.”

Barcelona now find themselves in a difficult position. If the player does not sign the medical report, the club cannot free up part of his wages via long-term injury status.

But if they opt to terminate his contract, the full cost of the termination would still count against the wage cap for the coming seasons.

In both scenarios, the margin for registering new players remains tight, pending the approval from the club’s auditor, Crowe, of the VIP seat asset activation, which would allow a return to the 1:1 rule.

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Barca universal.com