Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen has criticised ‘shameful’ and ‘disrespectful’ accusations made about his estranged wife after it was claimed she had an affair prior to the breakdown of their marriage.
Ter Stegen and Daniela Jehle announced their separation after nearly eight years of marriage last month, confirming the split in an emotional post on social media.
Following the announcement, Spanish journalist Juliana Canet claimed on Catalunya Radio that Ter Stegen and Jehle have lived apart for two months, with the goalkeeper opting to move out and live in the five-star Grand Hyatt Hotel after allegedly discovering that she had cheated on him with a personal trainer.
According to Canet, Ter Stegen had used renovations being carried out on their mansion last summer to explain why he had been living in the hotel.
After expressing his ‘shock’ and ‘disappointment’ towards the broadcaster for spreading ‘fake news’, Catalunya Radio have since apologised to Ter Stegen.
Asked whether the has accepted their apology in an interview with German outlet Bild, the Barcelona star said: ‘This is the first small step in the right direction. The fact that we received a lot of positive feedback on our response doesn’t make me any happier. In the end, it was completely inappropriate. It’s still irreparable.
Barcelona’s Marc-Andre ter Stegen has criticised ‘shameful’ and ‘disrespectful’ accusations made about his estranged wife after it was claimed she had an affair prior to their split
The couple publicly confirmed their separation last month after nearly eight years of marriage
Ter Stegen says he will be the ‘happiest person alive’ if he continues to see his kids every day
‘What was reported there was completely unacceptable. I find it tragic that such allegations are simply made.
‘The person who was most affected by this was, of course, Dani, and I felt incredibly sorry for her because she didn’t deserve it.
‘It’s completely disrespectful, and I find it crazy that these people had no shame in crossing such a line — especially since we have children.’
Opening up on what his relationship with Dani is like today, Ter Stegen added: ‘The time we had together will always be there. We have two fantastic children and are in the process of finding the right path for the new situation.
‘Dani and the kids continue to live here. At the moment, we live five minutes away from each other, which is obviously perfect for me. I see the children every day, and as long as that continues, I’m the happiest person alive.’
Ter Stegen and Jehle had confirmed their split in a social media post in March, stating that the decision came after ‘careful consideration’.
‘After careful consideration, Dani and I have decided to go our separate ways,’ the joint statement read.
‘This decision was not an easy one, as you can imagine, but we both believe it is the best step for us.
Ter Stegen has rubbished claims that Jehle (above) cheated on him, labelling it as ‘fake news’
Ter Stegen insists he feels ‘incredibly sorry’ for Jehle and claims she ‘didn’t deserve it’
‘Our joint focus is on doing what is best for our children, ensuring they continue to have a loving and stable environment.
‘We remain committed to working together as parents and treating each other with respect and appreciation as we always have.
‘During this personal time, we kindly ask for your understanding and for respecting our privacy – especially that of our children.’
Jehle had followed Ter Stegen to Barcelona when he joined the club in in 2014 in a £9.7 million move.
The couple married on May 15 in 2017 with a small ceremony near Barcelona, before having a church wedding in Tuscany.