Neymar exit 'made Barca stronger'
Barcelona have stepped up as a whole to even greater heights after Neymar's departure, says goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Neymar's €222million move to Paris Saint-Germain has only served to make Barcelona stronger this season, says goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
The departure came at a time of perceived institutional crisis at Barca, with fan anger at the club's running compounded by a thrashing to Real Madrid in the Supercopa de Espana.
However, Ernesto Valverde has led a serene march towards La Liga glory this season, and Barca are unbeaten after 24 league games - a run stretching back a club-record 31 league contests - with a healthy lead over Atletico Madrid in second.
Though Barca's fabled 'MSN' strikeforce of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar has been broken up, Ter Stegen believes the squad as a whole has stepped up after the latter left, inspiring their success this term.
"The quality of Ney, you can't explain it," Ter Stegen told 'ESPN'. "Because he was super important for us, as a person [and] in the team, as a footballer."