Breaking News: La Liga issue statement sticking knife into Barcelona after Dani Olmo decision
A significant blow has been dealt to Barcelona’s hopes of retaining the services of Dani Olmo beyond January 1, as a Catalan court has rejected the club’s appeal against the midfielder’s registration being blocked. The decision, welcomed by La Liga, stems from Barcelona’s inability to comply with the league’s salary cap rules, which has resulted in Olmo being permitted to play for only the opening four months of the campaign.
The Spain midfielder, a key player in the team that won the European Championship, joined Barcelona from RB Leipzig last summer for a reported £51m. However, due to the club’s struggles to stay within the league’s wage cap, Olmo’s registration was only temporary, allowing him to play until January 1. The same applies to 23-year-old Pau Victor, who finds himself in a similar situation.
Barcelona had attempted to circumvent the salary cap rules by rearranging player salaries while some players were injured at the start of the campaign. However, this maneuver has ultimately proved unsuccessful, as the Barcelona Commercial Court has thrown out the club’s appeal against the registration block.
La Liga has since released a statement, welcoming the court’s decision and reiterating the importance of adhering to the league’s salary cap rules. The statement reads: “LaLiga has today learned of the ruling … rejecting the request for the provisional registration of Dani Olmo until 30 June, 2025, on the grounds that none of the necessary conditions for the adoption of an interim measure have been met.”
The ruling also highlights the purpose of allowing additional spending, which is to prevent a long-term injury from weakening a team’s competitiveness. However, in Barcelona’s case, the court has deemed that the club is attempting to exploit this rule to register players whose salaries exceed the limit.
Barcelona still has one final avenue of appeal, which will be heard at a magistrates court on Monday – just one day before the deadline to register squads for the rest of the domestic campaign. The outcome of this appeal will be crucial in determining Olmo’s future at the club, as well as Barcelona’s overall prospects for the remainder of the season.
In the meantime, Barcelona will be forced to contemplate life without Olmo, at least temporarily. The midfielder’s absence will undoubtedly be felt, and the club’s ability to cope with his loss will be a significant test of their squad’s depth and resilience. As the situation continues to unfold, one thing is certain: the stakes are high, and the consequences of Barcelona’s failure to comply with La Liga’s salary cap rules will be far-reaching.
