Barcelona hit with massive blow hours before Atletico clash with club 'unable to register two key players'

Barcelona have been hit with a fresh blow ahead of their Copa del Rey clash against Atletico Madrid after La Liga annulled the club's financial fair play manoeuvre that enabled the registrations of two players.

Back in January, following months of uncertainly, Barcelona were controversially granted provisional permission to register summer signings Dani Olmo and Pau Victor by the Spanish national sports council (CSD).

Initially, both players were only registered for the first half of the 2024/25 season as the Catalan club were unable to meet La Liga's wage cap restrictions.

But after La Liga rejected Barcelona's request to register the pair, the CSD interjected and would grant Barcelona a precautionary measure to allow the pair to play in the short term, sparking outrage from many.

La Liga president Javier Tebas complained about CSD's decision, while several clubs released statements questioning the ruling.

It was reported that the club had sold VIP boxes for their new stadium, which is still under construction, for a reported €100 million to be able to operate within La Liga's financial fair play scheme.

But now, La Liga claim the suggested €100 million from VIP seat sales has not been included in Barcelona's latest audited accounts, meaning the club once again have no room to register Olmo and Víctor.

A statement from La Liga said on Wednesday: "The financial statements show Barcelona did not have on Dec. 31, 2024, nor on Jan. 3, 2025, nor since that date the capacity to register Olmo and Víctor."

Pau Victor has been included in Hansi Flick's squad for their Copa del Rey clash against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, while Olmo misses out through injury.

Dani Olmo saga explained

Olmo, who joined Barcelona from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig for £51 million last summer, was registered as a special exemption only for the first half of the season as the club could not meet La Liga's wage cap restrictions.

A court rejected their attempt to re-register Olmo, with La Liga and the Spanish Federation coming to a joint decision over the situation, but the attacking midfielder was then granted permission to play after the CSD stepped in following an appeal by the club.

The 26-year-old has made 28 appearances in all competitions for league leaders Barcelona this season.

Dani Olmo joined Barcelona last summer. Image credit: Getty

What happens next?

The CSD are scheduled to make a final decision before April 7 on whether Olmo and Víctor's registrations should be revoked for the rest of the season, according to ESPN.

What does it mean for the title race?

It is certainly an unwanted distraction for the Catalan club, who currently sit three points ahead of Real Madrid in the La Liga title race.

As mentioned above, there is no information yet if the pair will be allowed to continue playing this season.

La Liga's statement in full

“In light of the various reports published regarding the corporate transaction related to VIP Boxes, which FC Barcelona communicated to La Liga at the end of last December, and given the institution’s responsibility in applying the rules of financial fair play and the documents and transactions that give rise to it, La Ligawishes to clarify:

1. As has been made public, LALIGA, in accordance with the Budget Preparation Standard (NEP), completed receiving the documentation corresponding to this corporate transaction on January 3, 2025.

Among this documentation, a certificate issued by the club’s new auditor, appointed on December 31, 2024, was provided, recognizing that the transaction was correctly recorded as income in the club’s Profit and Loss account for the current season, as certified by the Club to LALIGA. This documentation was necessary and essential to validate the aforementioned accounting; without these certificates, it would not have been possible, as established by the aforementioned NEP.

All of this led LALIGA to increase the Club’s Squad Cost Limit (SCCL) by the amount of the aforementioned transaction on January 3, 2025, allowing FC Barcelona to register players with LALIGA, if permitted by federation regulations.

2. On February 14, in view of the information that LALIGA had been able to gather in relation to said operation, and in accordance with article 64.4 of the Sports Law, it considered it essential and urgent to request the Higher Sports Council (CSD) to carry out a specific control report by the auditors that said autonomous body designated, attaching to said request all the information collected by LALIGA.

3. Given the urgency of the request and the lack of a response from the CSD, LALIGA reiterated its request to the CSD on March 17, 2025, to prepare the aforementioned specific control report. On March 26, LALIGA received a communication from the CSD stating that the preparation of this specific control report was an optional action for the CSD, without elaborating further, and it was understood that it was refusing to prepare the specific control report.

Olmo has featured heavily for Barca this season. Image credit: Getty

4. Subsequently, FC Barcelona has delivered, within the period established in the LALIGA regulations, the Interim Financial Statements referring to the first half of the current 2024-2025 season, accompanied by a limited review report signed by Crowe Auditores España, SLP, a different auditor from the one that issued the certificate indicated in point 1 of this note regarding the aforementioned corporate transaction.

Therefore, FC Barcelona has advised LALIGA to have up to three auditors in the last three months: Grant Thornton, SLP, until December 31, 2024; a different auditor, appointed on December 31, who remained so on January 3; and a third auditor, Crowe Auditores España, SLP.

5. In said Interim Financial Statements, no amount of the aforementioned corporate operation is finally recorded in the Profit and Loss account, contrary to what had been certified by the Club and the auditor at the time of the execution of said operation, as explained in point 1 of this Note.

6. According to the aforementioned Interim Financial Statements, and in application of the NEP, FC Barcelona, ​​with the subscription of said corporate operation, did not have on December 31, 2024, nor on January 3, 2025, nor has it had since that date, nor does it have today a balance or registration capacity, what is publicly known as ‘Fair Play’, for the registration of the players Dani Olmo and Pau Victor.

7. In application of the NEP, LALIGA has informed the Club of the reduction of its LCPD by the amount of said corporate operation, in accordance with the Interim Financial Statements submitted.

8. Likewise, on March 27, LALIGA communicated to the CSD the conclusions regarding ‘Fair Play’ derived from said Interim Financial Statements, especially the reduction in LCPD communicated to the Club as a consequence of the same, as well as all the previous circumstances, providing in said communication to the CSD the aforementioned Interim Financial Statements of the Club.

9. In light of the situation described above, LALIGA informs that it will report to the Accounting and Auditing Institute (ICAC) the auditor appointed by the Club on December 31, 2024, who certified the accounting of the aforementioned corporate transaction in the Club’s Profit and Loss account.”