FC Barcelona has successfully appealed to Spain’s Higher Sports Council (CSD) to register Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor for the remainder of the season, overturning LaLiga’s previous decision to deny their registration.
The dispute centered around Barcelona’s compliance with LaLiga’s financial fair play regulations. Initially, both players were blocked from registration as their inclusion would have exceeded the club’s imposed spending limit. To circumvent this obstacle, Barcelona reported a €100 million sale of VIP seating to Middle Eastern investors for their stadium currently under redevelopment.
This financial maneuver raised significant questions from LaLiga officials, who noted irregularities in the auditing process. The deal was certified by an auditor who reportedly worked with the club for only a brief period around the financial reporting deadline. Adding to the controversy, Barcelona’s new auditors, Crowe Auditores España, did not include this VIP seating sale in their subsequent financial review for the first half of the 2024-2025 season.
LaLiga has strongly criticized the CSD’s ruling, claiming the sports ministry overstepped its authority and that the decision “is not legally sound.” The league argues that allowing these registrations compromises competition integrity and contradicts established legal precedents.
“These measures were granted without meeting the legal conditions and procedural guarantees, thus compromising the integrity of the competition. They also contradict established case law of the Supreme Court and previous rulings by two courts that denied precautionary measures,” LaLiga stated in response to the decision.
The case highlights the ongoing tension between Barcelona’s financial management and LaLiga’s regulatory framework. While Barcelona celebrates this victory that allows them to utilize two important players, the dispute underscores the club’s continuing financial challenges as they attempt to balance competitive ambitions with economic constraints.
This ruling may set a precedent for how financial fair play regulations are enforced in Spanish football moving forward.
