- Barca finally got the green light to sign Dani Olmo and Pau Victor
- The outcome comes after Barcelona appealed to the Higher Sports Council (CSD)
- The ruling has led to a flood of criticism in Spanish football
A Barcelona legend has become the latest to take aim at the financially floundering Catalan giants after they were controversially allowed to re-sign Dani Olmo and team-mate Pau Victor in the £50million summer deal.
The Blaugrana were finally given the green light to register the former RB Leipzig playmaker after an extensive saga that saw Barcelona appeal to the Higher Sports Council (CSD).
A decision that has caused outrage in Spanish football. The exceptional circumstances of the case have led the CSD to defend their unique decision, stating that preventing the registrations of both Olmo and Victor would cause significant damage to the players, Barcelona, and even the interests of the Spanish national team.
Given the hugely controversial nature of the outcome, Barcelona have been subject to a barrage of criticism, with even some of the club’s former stars speaking out against them.
Ex-Barca defender Ronald de Boer has criticized his former employer for ignoring the rules again.
“It is very sad that a club as beautiful as Barcelona is still allowed to cheat,” De Boer said on Dutch television.
Barcelona can provisionally register Dani Olmo following a decision by the Higher Sports Council
Olmo’s re-registration was denied due to LaLiga’s continued financial constraints for Barcelona
‘Coming from what I was before… playing with UNICEF on the shirt. Other clubs play by the rules, they try to survive, but Barcelona can get away with anything, which is crazy. If it had been a company, it would have filed for bankruptcy.
‘It’s ridiculous, it’s become a soap opera. They just want to keep competing with Real Madrid, and they hate that Real Madrid continues to have success.”
It was hoped that the re-registration process would be easy. LaLiga’s strict financial laws had prevented Barcelona from renewing the registration for Olmo and Victor as they had exceeded their allocated salary cap.
With the added risk of losing Olmo at large, the ugly affair ended with the CSD allowing them to temporarily register both players.
A number of clubs have expressed their intention to appeal the decision, with loyal rivals Atletico Madrid quickly targeting the ruling and questioning whether it undermines their commitment to ‘fair competition’.
LaLiga has also launched a legal battle against the CSD’s decision after it was not allowed to respond to the green light for the re-registration of Olmo and Victor, arguing that it made a mistake because there was no opportunity to defend its position before the provisional measure was approved. .
The league is attempting to counter their position due to the RFEF General Regulations rule that prohibits the re-registration of a player removed from a team’s roster during the same season.
A possible penalty could result in the CSD’s ruling being deemed null and void if LaLiga is successful.
Pau Victor was also re-registered and will be available for Real Madrid on Sunday
The decision eases pressure on Barca president Joan Laporta, who welcomed the ruling
Nevertheless, the decision means that both Olmo and Victor are now eligible when Hansi Flick’s side faces forward Real Madrid played the final of the Spanish Super Cup on Sunday.
And ahead of El Clásico, outspoken Barcelona president Joan Laporta has made his feelings on the ruling clear.
“This Super Cup is surrounded by controversies that could have been avoided if things had been handled differently,” Laporta said, according to Marca.
“The fact is that it has now been resolved and they can play.”