Barcelona players Dani Olmo and Pau Victor can play for the club on a temporary basis after the Spanish sports council (CSD) granted the Catalans precautionary permission on Wednesday.
Barcelona’s Financial Struggles Delay Player Registrations, CSD Steps In
Amid financial turmoil, Barcelona failed to register Dani Olmo and Victor before the year’s end, despite both being granted temporary licenses when they joined in the summer. The Spanish Sports Council (CSD) has now ruled that Olmo and Victor can continue to play for the club while a final decision is awaited regarding the dispute with La Liga and the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).
In a statement, the CSD clarified that this ruling suspends La Liga and RFEF’s decision, allowing the players’ licenses to remain valid until the appeal is resolved. “This provisional measure maintains the validity of the licenses until the final resolution of the appeal,” the CSD confirmed.
Though the pair will miss Barcelona’s Spanish Super Cup semi-final against Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday, they could return for a potential final on Sunday, pending qualification. They also remain eligible for upcoming fixtures, pending the final ruling from the CSD.
Olmo and Victor were absent from the Copa del Rey round of 32 match against Barbastro on Saturday, with Barcelona submitting their appeal to the CSD earlier this week. The players were initially registered on a temporary basis, following an injury to defender Andreas Christensen.
After Barcelona’s failed attempts to secure permanent licenses in court last week, the club raised funds by selling VIP boxes at the under-construction Spotify Camp Nou, securing 100 million euros to meet La Liga’s financial fair play rules. Unfortunately, the paperwork for the deal was submitted just three days after the deadline, rendering the licenses expired.
While La Liga confirmed that Barcelona now meets the financial criteria, the club’s argument revolves around a rule that prevents players from obtaining another license in the same season. Spanish reports suggest Barcelona is challenging the rule, asserting that with the transfer window open and the necessary funds now available, they should be allowed to re-register the players.