Barcelona have for the first time since before the pandemic returned to within their salary limit, after accrediting the sale of VIP seats for the next 20 years at Camp Nou to the tune of around €110m. According to one report, they also have a verbal understanding over registering Dani Olmo and Pau Victor too.
There are conflicting pieces of information being reported though. One matter that all reports seem to agree on is that Barcelona sent an informative email just before 23:00 CEST on Friday night updating both La Liga and the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) of their financial situation. La Liga have accredited the first €60m portion of that sale, and the club are now back within their salary limit say multiple reports.
La Liga have confirmed in writing to Barcelona that they’re now officially under the 1:1 rule. @MigRico
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) January 3, 2025
Where the matter is less clear is on the registrations of Olmo and Victor, which was ultimately the aim of the deal. Marca report that despite that note, there has been no change in the registration situation, while Sport say that La Liga have asked the RFEF lawyers to examine the case.
All sources agree that the RFEF have not received a request from La Liga to register Olmo and Victor, but RAC1 report that Barcelona have had it verbally confirmed by La Liga that they will have both players registered. They say that Barcelona are waiting for La Liga to do so, and could see movement on Saturday, with the Barcelona directors leaving the club offices shortly after midnight. MD have filed a report around half an hour afterwards, where they specifically deny any verbal agreement between La Liga and Barcelona over registrations.
At 21:19 this evening, #FCBarcelona president Joan Laporta shared (and then deleted) the following message on his WhatsApp status.
It is seemingly a text from the RFEF backing Barcelona’s ability to register Dani Olmo and Pau Victor. Image via Jijantes. pic.twitter.com/iYl9FyqPpR
— Football España (@footballespana_) January 3, 2025
Their information is that President Joan Laporta could speak to the media this Sunday or on Tuesday in Saudi Arabia for the Spanish Supercup to explain the situation. Without any progress on the registrations, as they say, Barcelona intend to take the case to court next week or to the Ministry for Sport.
The veritable array of reports circulating late on Friday night seem only to blur the reality of the situation, where the certainty seems to be only regarding their salary limit situation. Either way the case looks far from being finished. If Barcelona are able to register Olmo and Victor, then La Liga are likely to face significant backlash from the other clubs. Barcelona are working on potential solutions if they are not, but Laporta will be facing his own backlash at the club if that is the case.
