BARCELONA, Spain — Coach Hansi Flick expressed his dissatisfaction with the current circumstances surrounding Barcelona while maintaining faith in the club’s efforts to register midfielder Dani Olmo for the season. This comes after missing the year-end deadline to adjust salary-cap constraints.

In a press conference held before the Copa del Rey matchup against fourth-division team Barbastro, Flick acknowledged that the situation is far from ideal, though he believes Barcelona is making earnest attempts to address the matter. “Honestly, I am not pleased with what’s happening, and the players share this sentiment,” he remarked. “However, we must accept it. As professionals, we have our responsibilities: I must coach, my staff must assist, and the club must handle its obligations. I hold onto a positive outlook, but we need to await the final decision.”

The Spanish league stated that Barcelona fell short of meeting the financial fair-play regulations by the deadline on Tuesday, preventing the club from registering Olmo or any other players until after 2024. Local courts had rejected two separate requests from Barcelona to register both Olmo and Pau Víctor, yet reports suggest that the club is still optimistic following a payment of 100 million euros (approximately $103 million) received on Friday for VIP seat sales at the upgraded Camp Nou stadium.

This newfound revenue could provide Barcelona the necessary leeway to improve its salary cap, potentially making space for Olmo and Víctor. Since his transfer from Leipzig to Barcelona in August, Olmo has been unable to play for Spain’s national team without proper registration with his club.

Barcelona contends that the cut-off for registering new players should align with the end of January, coinciding with the transfer window’s closure, rather than the current December deadline stipulated by the league.

Each club in the Spanish league operates under a salary cap that’s influenced by various financial metrics, including revenue, expenses, and debt levels. This cap typically represents about 70% of a club’s total revenue. Barcelona’s financial woes have complicated the registration process for several players recently. Over the past few years, the club has engaged in various financial strategies, such as selling future television rights, in response to its fiscal challenges. These financial issues ultimately resulted in Lionel Messi’s departure from the club in 2021.