Barcelona's request to register players Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor has been denied yet again by the Spanish league, plunging the club's management and fans back to uncertainty. Despite efforts to comply with La Liga's financial fair play regulations, Barcelona learned on Saturday their appeal to re-register the duo was unsuccessful.
According to the Associated Press, the Spanish football federation and La Liga stated through a joint resolution, "even though Barcelona eventually was able to meet the salary-cap rules, the players can’t be registered again after already having been dropped because of the missed deadline.” Both Olmo and Víctor were only registered until the end of 2024, and now with the league’s regulations holding firm, they've been ruled out for the remainder of the season.
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick expressed disappointment but also hope, noting, “Dani wants to play for Barça. We need him, and also Pau Víctor, they are very good players, we need both of them.” While the club aims to keep the spirits up, the reality of the situation remains challenging.
The club initially succeeded to register Olmo and Víctor using financial provisions made possible by injuries within the squad. This allowed them to allocate salary cap space, utilizing funds released from Andreas Christensen’s injury. Yet, as injuries healed and the financial strategy unfolded, the window for player registration narrowed and the financial levers were stretched too thin.
Barcelona had hoped to resolve the registration issue before the end-of-year deadline, but financial struggles have only worsened over the past few months. The sale of VIP seats at Camp Nou for approximately €100 million ($103 million) served as one of their final attempts to navigate the regulations. Nonetheless, the league insisted on sticking to its established rules concerning registration deadlines, frustrating club officials who argued the deadline for signing players ought to extend to the end of January.
After another loss at the hands of La Liga and the RFEF, Barcelona is prepared to resort to the Higher Sports Council (CSD) for legal recourse. The Monitoring Committee of the CSD meeting on Jan 3 revealed the players cannot be re-registered this season, citing strict adherence to regulations prohibiting the same team from registering players whose licenses had been previously canceled.
“The Monitoring Committee agrees not to grant the prior visa or the definitive license requested by FC Barcelona for the players Mr. Daniel Olmo Carvajal and Mr. Pau Víctor Delgado,” the committee stated. This position suggests Barcelona’s legal battles will continue, as previous court appeals have also been dismissed.
Fans remain divided over Barcelona's approach to the situation. Some supporters feel the management has failed to handle the finances effectively, placing blame squarely on the board headed by president Joan Laporta. While others acknowledge the complexity and stress of their financial framework, especially considering past management decisions and the broader economic climate affecting football.
Despite the tensions, Dani Olmo evidently wishes to remain with Barcelona. His agent, Andy Bara, has reiterated the sentiment by stating Olmo is not considering offers from competing clubs, focusing instead on resolving the registration dilemma. Speculation swirls around the possibility Olmo might leave on free terms due to his contract clause but insiders claim he’s committed to remaining with the Catalan club.
Adding fuel to the fire, recent reports indicate international clubs, including Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City, and Paris Saint-Germain, are keeping tabs on Olmo's registration saga. Should Barcelona continue to face registration challenges, teams like AC Milan have already expressed interest, possibly offering short-term contracts to capitalize on the uncertainty.
On the pitch, Barcelona remains competitive, currently placed third in La Liga, five points behind leaders Real Madrid. Recently, the team secured a decisive 4-0 victory against fourth-tier club Barbastro, demonstrating resilience amid internal challenges. Flick is committed to isolative focus on the game, expressing confidence his team can perform professionally without succumbing to off-field distractions.
But the pressing question remains: how long can this push and pull over registrations and financial discipline continue before it significantly alters the club's strategy? The situation appears precarious, particularly if registration processes remain inconsistent, potentially jeopardizing Barcelona's ambitions for the rest of the season.
Barcelona officials are caught at the intersection of ambition and regulation frustration. If the registration struggles persist, it might force strategic changes at the club level, altering not only their legal approach but also possibly impacting the 2025 summer transfer campaign.
For now, the club's management is attempting to appeal for leniency, hoping the authorities may reconsider their unyielding stance on financial rules as they rally support for both Olmo and Víctor. Only time will clarify if the tides can turn for Barcelona, and if both players can don the iconic Blaugrana jersey again during this turbulent season.