Barcelona strip Ter Stegen of captain's armband / Photo: Cesar Manso - AFP
-
'Suffering' Djokovic fights past Cilic in Shanghai opener
-
Pegula fights past Navarro for Noskova semi-final in Beijing
-
UK on 'high alert' following synagogue attack
-
Israel deports first activists from Gaza aid flotilla
-
Bellingham's omission from England squad nothing personal, says Tuchel
-
Luxembourg enthrones new grand duke after royal abdication
-
England skittle sorry South Africa for 69 at Women's World Cup
-
Jurel, Jadeja tons put India in firm command of West Indies Test
-
UN-backed climate banking alliance ceases operations
-
Stocks gain on AI optimism, US rate-cut hopes
-
France captain Dupont bemoans 'restrictive' Top 14 salary cap
-
Maresca denies Chelsea 'discipline problem' after spate of red cards
-
Aston Martin's Alonso quickest in first practice for Singapore GP
-
EU-member Luxembourg enthrones monarch, drawing hundreds
-
Bellingham left out of England squad for October games
-
Sarah Mullally appointed first woman to lead Church of England
-
Carrefour name disappears from Arab stores as Israel boycotters claim victory
-
Brignone will give her all to be ready for Winter Olympics
-
Organisers say last Gaza flotilla boat intercepted by Israel
-
Jurel, Jadeja power India's lead to 164 against West Indies
-
Philippine military chief says rejected calls to oust Marcos
-
Hamas says still needs time to study Trump's Gaza plan
-
World champion Marquez crashes twice in Indonesia MotoGP practice
-
UK on 'high alert' following synagogue terror attack
-
Finland dismisses case over Baltic cable cuts
-
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson ruled out until after international break
-
Russia-linked tanker stopped by France resumes voyage: vessel trackers
-
Hamas official says group still needs time to study Trump's Gaza plan
-
Goffin beats Shelton in first Shanghai Masters shock
-
Ton-up Rahul, Gill steer India into lead in West Indies Test
-
Spain's Benidorm embraces its Franco-era mass tourism model
-
Not all 'A's: Unconventional paths that led to Nobels
-
New York judge to sentence Sean 'Diddy' Combs after blockbuster trial
-
Typhoon Bualoi death toll in Vietnam tops 50
-
Indonesia free meals programme under fire after thousands sickened
-
South Korea's Hwang charges into Hawaii LPGA lead
-
Munich airport resumes flights after drone sightings trigger closure
-
Wallabies vow to send Slipper off on a high against All Blacks
-
Cyberattack halts shipments from Japan's biggest brewer
-
Liverpool seek to steady ship, Man Utd's Amorim faces must-win game
-
Luxembourg gets new Grand Duke with royal abdication
-
Cambodian ex-MP's killer jailed for life in Thailand
-
Czechs head to polls with billionaire ex-premier tipped to come first
-
Taylor Swift moves into 'Showgirl' era with new pop album
-
Last flotilla boat sails on towards Gaza after Israel interceptions
-
Munich airport halts flights after drone sightings
-
Rookie Schlittler pitches gem, Yankees beat Red Sox to advance in MLB playoffs
-
Indonesia school collapse death toll rises to 7: rescue official
-
China trials 'energy-saving' underwater data centres
-
Tech fans Tokyo rally on broadly positive day for Asian markets
NYSE - LSE
Barcelona strip Ter Stegen of captain's armband
Barcelona on Thursday said they had stripped Marc-Andre ter Stegen of the captain's armband in a continuing dispute over the German goalkeeper's fitness status.
"As a consequence of the disciplinary proceedings initiated against player Marc-Andre ter Stegen, and until such proceedings are definitively resolved, the club... has decided to temporarily remove him as captain of the first football team," Barca said in a statement.
They said vice-captain Ronald Araujo, a Uruguayan defender, would take over.
According to local media, the dispute centres on 33-year-old Ter Stegen's refusal to cooperate with an attempt to have him classified by La Liga as a long-term injury case, which would allow the club to deduct part of his pay from their official wage bill.
With the new Liga season approaching, Barcelona are again struggling to satisfy Spanish financial fair play rules. If they cannot, they may not be able to register new players.
The club plans to partly reopen its expensively renovated Camp Nou stadium this month.
After two seasons marred by injury, Ter Stegen decided to undergo back surgery at the end of July. He has refused to sign a form releasing his medical data to La Liga, preventing Barcelona's attempt to have him officially declared a long-term absentee.
His place is under threat from one of the summer signings, 24-year-old Joan Garcia, and 35-year-old Wojciech Szczesny, the Polish veteran who has been rewarded with a contract extension for taking over during last season's Liga title-winning campaign.
The German goalkeeper, the last remaining member of Luis Enrique's 2015 European champion team, faces heavy penalties under La Liga regulations, including the termination of his contract.
O.Karlsson--AMWN
