MADRID — The Spanish government took action on Wednesday to provisionally permit midfielder Dani Olmo and forward Pau Víctor to continue representing Barcelona, despite the Spanish league’s decision against it.
Barcelona had lodged an appeal with the Higher Council for Sport, a governmental entity operating under the Ministry of Education and Sports, following the league’s earlier ruling. In a preliminary decision, the council sided with Barcelona, allowing the two athletes to participate in official matches while it reviews the appeal for a final verdict.
Last summer, both players were registered only through the end of 2024, and due to Barcelona’s financial issues, the club failed to satisfy the league’s financial fair play regulations by the year-end deadline.
After Barcelona sorted its financial documentation, the league, supported by the Spanish soccer federation, rejected the club’s attempt to register the players for the remainder of the season. According to a joint statement from both organizations, despite Barcelona eventually complying with salary cap regulations, the players cannot be re-registered after their initial withdrawal due to the missed deadline.
The club contended that the cutoff date for registering new players should be at the close of January, coinciding with the transfer window closure, rather than the December deadline mandated by the league.
Barcelona managed to enhance its salary cap recently, reportedly receiving a payment of 100 million euros (approximately $103 million) from VIP seat sales at the revitalized Camp Nou stadium.
Each club in La Liga has a salary cap calculated based on various factors such as revenues, expenses, and debt levels, amounting to around 70% of a club’s earnings.
Barcelona has faced challenges in registering new players due to its ongoing financial difficulties, resorting to selling assets in recent seasons, including future TV rights. These financial woes were significant enough to contribute to Lionel Messi’s departure in 2021.
Olmo was regarded as Barcelona’s standout acquisition during the summer, following his pivotal role in helping Spain secure the European championship.
In the event that Barcelona ultimately does not prevail in its case with the Higher Council for Sports, the club may seek recourse through conventional courts.
