BARCELONA, Spain — In a recent development, Barcelona is required to secure approval from the Spanish league for another financial lever to be able to register playmaker Dani Olmo for the remainder of the season. This follows a judge’s unfavorable ruling against the club on Monday.

This marks the second consecutive legal blow for Barcelona as they strive to officially include Olmo in their roster ahead of the looming end-of-year deadline.

Without the judge’s approval, the club cannot register Olmo’s contract beyond the end of 2024 unless they can persuade the league that adequate salary cap space can be created to accommodate him. Olmo transitioned from RB Leipzig to Barcelona in August.

Reports indicate that Barcelona is poised to receive approval from the league soon, as they’ve reportedly struck a deal to sell premium seating at the revamped Camp Nou for around 100 million euros (approximately $104 million). This revenue is expected to be sufficient for the club to include both Olmo and forward Pau Víctor in their lineup.

In Spain, each club operates under a salary cap system influenced by various factors including income, expenditure, and debt levels, amounting to approximately 70% of their total revenue.

Barcelona has been grappling with challenges in registering players recently due to ongoing financial difficulties. To navigate these challenges, the club has utilized several financial strategies, such as the sale of future television rights. These financial woes have also been linked to the departure of star player Lionel Messi in 2021.