1
1
FC Barcelona finds itself in a precarious situation as La Liga has officially removed forwards Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor from its registered squad list. This decision follows the club’s failure to meet the registration deadline of December 31, 2024. Both players are now left in limbo, unable to play for the remainder of the season unless their registration issues are resolved.
Barcelona acknowledged its request for new licenses for both players in an official statement released on December 31. The club emphasized that it had not sought any moratorium from governing bodies, asserting its commitment to comply with regulations. However, La Liga responded by clarifying that the documentation submitted by Barcelona did not satisfy the necessary requirements for registration, leading to the removal of Olmo and Víctor from the squad list.
The implications of this situation are significant. Dani Olmo, who joined from RB Leipzig for €48 million, has a clause in his contract allowing him to leave for free if he is not registered, while still claiming his salary until 2030. Pau Víctor, contracted until 2029, does not have a similar clause but faces reputational damage and missed opportunities if he remains unregistered.
Barcelona’s management, including President Joan Laporta and Vice President Rafa Yuste, worked tirelessly on December 31 to address these challenges. They engaged with La Liga officials to provide additional documentation regarding financial transactions related to VIP seat sales at Spotify Camp Nou. Despite these efforts, La Liga maintained that Barcelona had not presented a viable alternative to comply with financial fair play regulations.
As January 3 approaches, Barcelona is under immense pressure to resolve this issue. The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has stated it cannot process registrations without La Liga’s approval, which complicates matters further. Failure to register Olmo and Víctor could lead to severe financial repercussions for the club, exacerbating its already strained financial situation.
Barcelona remains cautiously optimistic about securing the necessary registrations once financial transactions are finalized. However, this optimism is tempered by the reality that any late registration would require approval from both La Liga and RFEF.
