FC Barcelona has faced a major setback in their efforts to extend the registration of Spanish midfielder Dani Olmo, as a Spanish court has rejected their plea. This decision means that Olmo, who was temporarily registered earlier this season, will be ineligible to play after December 31 unless the club finds a way to resolve the issue before then. The registration rejection, which stems from La Liga’s strict financial rules, has left Barcelona scrambling for solutions to avoid losing Olmo midway through the season.
Dani Olmo was signed by Barcelona in a €57 million deal from RB Leipzig during the summer transfer window. Due to the long-term injury of Andreas Christensen, Olmo was temporarily registered to fill in for the Danish defender. This arrangement allowed him to play for the club despite the team’s financial struggles and restrictions on new player registrations. However, this temporary registration is set to expire on December 31, leaving Barcelona with little time to resolve the situation.
La Liga’s Financial Restrictions
The main reason behind the rejection of Olmo’s extended registration is La Liga’s financial fair play restrictions. The league’s financial controls, which are enforced by its Budget Validation Body, have been a significant obstacle for Barcelona this season. The club’s spending cap has been set at €426 million for the current campaign, and Barcelona has struggled to stay within this limit due to high spending on player wages and transfers.
These financial issues are not new for the club. In 2023, Barcelona faced a similar problem with the registration of Gavi as a first-team player, and now Olmo finds himself in a similar predicament. La Liga, along with the Spanish Football Federation and UEFA Licensing Committee, upheld its stance that Barcelona did not meet the necessary conditions to extend Olmo’s registration.
Barcelona’s Efforts to Find a Solution
Despite the court ruling, Barcelona is actively exploring ways to keep Olmo eligible to play in the new year. The club has two potential solutions to resolve the registration issue:
- Revenue Generation through VIP Seating Presales: One option is for Barcelona to generate additional revenue by preselling VIP seats at the under-renovation Spotify Camp Nou. This would help boost the club’s finances and allow them to reinvest in player registrations.
- Financial Guarantee from a Board Member: Another solution involves a board member providing a financial guarantee, a method that has been successfully used in the past to register players like Jules Koundé and João Cancelo. This approach could potentially solve the issue by providing the necessary financial backing to comply with La Liga’s restrictions.
Impact on Barcelona’s Season
Barcelona’s financial struggles and the ongoing issues with player registrations are putting the club in a difficult position. If Olmo is unable to play after December 31, Barcelona will lose one of their key contributors for the remainder of the season, which could impact the team’s ambitions in both La Liga and European competitions.
In addition to Olmo, another player affected by La Liga’s financial restrictions is Pau Víctor, a forward signed from Girona. Like Olmo, Víctor faces registration challenges due to the club’s inability to meet La Liga’s financial compliance requirements.
A Race Against Time
As the clock ticks down toward the January deadline, Barcelona must find a way to resolve their financial issues and ensure that Olmo remains eligible to play for the team. The situation reflects the broader challenges Barcelona faces in balancing their financial stability with the demands of competing at the highest level of European football. With the club’s future on the line, Barcelona’s board and management will need to act quickly to find a solution before the January window opens.
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