Barcelona are set to face harsh sanctions from UEFA after breaching financial regulations for a second time, according to The Times. The La Liga champions, previously warned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) that repeated violations would result in stricter punishments, could now face significant penalties including a reduced Champions League squad registration limit or even a points deduction in the competition’s league phase.
The Catalan giants’ latest breach stems from their controversial financial maneuvers to address their economic crisis. In 2022, Barcelona sold 10% of their broadcasting revenue for the next 25 years for £225 million (€267 million), followed by another 15% for £337 million (€400 million). The club attempted to classify these transactions as “operating income” for Financial Fair Play (FFP) calculations, but UEFA insisted they be recorded as “profits on disposal of intangible assets,” which don’t count toward FFP compliance.
English clubs Chelsea and Aston Villa have also reportedly violated UEFA’s financial rules but, as first-time offenders, will likely face only monetary penalties. Both clubs have been negotiating settlements with UEFA’s Club Financial Control Board (CFCB), with official sanctions for all teams expected later this month.
Chelsea’s breach reportedly involves UEFA’s rejection of the club’s world-record £220 million sale of their women’s team to a sister company, a transaction that is permitted under Premier League financial regulations but not under UEFA’s stricter framework.
UEFA’s financial regulations currently limit clubs to maximum losses of £170 million (€200 million) over three years and restrict spending to 80% of UEFA-allowed revenue, with this threshold set to decrease further to 70% next season.
Barcelona’s financial struggles have persisted despite their sporting success, which included reaching the Champions League semi-finals this season before losing to eventual finalists Inter Milan. The club’s economic woes began during Josep Maria Bartomeu’s presidency, when excessive spending on player transfers and wages created a debt crisis that current president Joan Laporta has struggled to resolve.
The impending sanctions highlight the growing tension between traditional football clubs’ ambitions and UEFA’s increasingly stringent financial regulations designed to ensure competitive balance and economic sustainability across European football.
