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Barcelona's financial dealings have once again come under the microscope as LaLiga insists the club never had the salary space to register Dani Olmo or Pau Víctor. With Spain's sports ministry (CSD) set to rule on the players' eligibility for the remainder of the season, the controversy surrounding their registrations deepens.
LaLiga has cast doubt on the legitimacy of a reported €100 million deal that allowed the CSD to temporarily approve Olmo and Víctor’s registrations in January. The league plans to report the unnamed auditor Barcelona used to verify the sale of VIP seats at the redeveloping Spotify Camp Nou stadium, raising concerns about the accuracy of the club’s financial records.
According to LaLiga, Barcelona’s most recent financial statements did not account for the VIP seat deal when submitted last week for the 2024-25 season. The documents, reviewed by a different auditor, indicated that at no point between December 31, 2024, and the present did Barcelona have the financial capacity to register the two players. Consequently, LaLiga has reduced Barcelona’s spending limit, which had stood at €463 million in February, and has forwarded its findings to the CSD and Spain's Institute of Accounting and Auditing of Accounts (ICAC).
A Barcelona source told ESPN that the club does not intend to respond to LaLiga’s latest statement. Meanwhile, the CSD is expected to issue a final ruling by April 7 on whether Olmo and Víctor's registrations should be revoked.
The controversy dates back to the turn of the year when Barcelona failed to meet a December 31 deadline to prove compliance with LaLiga’s financial regulations. Initially, Olmo and Víctor were granted temporary registrations under a league rule permitting replacements for long-term injured players, in this case, Andreas Christensen. However, Barcelona later claimed a €100 million revenue boost from VIP seat sales had restored their financial standing, leading LaLiga to approve their registrations on January 3. By then, however, the deadline to extend their licenses had already passed.
Barcelona appealed to the CSD, which reinstated the players’ registrations while reviewing the case over a three-month period. This decision sparked outrage among LaLiga officials and rival clubs, with league president Javier Tebas and Athletic Club chief Jon Uriarte among those voicing strong opposition.
Since his reinstatement, Olmo—who joined Barcelona from RB Leipzig for around €60 million last summer—has played 13 matches in all competitions, scoring twice and providing four assists. However, he is currently sidelined with an adductor injury until mid-April. Víctor, meanwhile, has seen limited action, making five substitute appearances.
The heart of the dispute lies in LaLiga’s claim that Barcelona’s VIP seat sale was not finalized in time. The league argues that while an unnamed auditor initially validated the transaction, a subsequent financial review omitted it from the club’s latest accounts. As a result, LaLiga alleges Barcelona breached financial fair play regulations by registering Olmo and Víctor without the necessary funds.
With the CSD's decision looming, Barcelona faces a crucial test in proving its compliance with financial regulations. If the ruling goes against them, the club may be forced to withdraw Olmo and Víctor from competition, adding another layer of complexity to their ongoing financial struggles.
Featured Image Credit: Instagram / @fcbarcelona, Pexels / Andreas Brox
