Barcelona have temporarily won the battle to register Dani Olmo and Pau Victor to play in the second half of the season following an appeal to Spain’s National Council for Sport (CSD).
Barcelona had only been able to comply with La Liga’s wage regulations during the first half of the campaign due to a practical loophole stemming from Andreas Christensen’s injury absence.
But it was not a permanent solution, and the registrations for Olmo and Victor expired on December 31, 2024. Barcelona were reported to have raised €100 million by selling VIP boxes at the refurbished Camp Nou, which is still being worked on, which allowed them to return to 1:1 usage rules next season. But the papers were delivered too late to do anything about Olmo and Victor’s situation.
Players cannot be registered twice by the same club in a single season. So when the pair went unregistered, the situation looked particularly bleak, especially after La Liga and the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) formally rejected Barcelona’s attempt to force it through.
A legal challenge in a local court had already failed, but Barcelona took the case to the National Sports Council and has now obtained a temporary license to register Olmo and Victor until the appeal is given a final verdict in time.
A CSD statement explained: “This measure, which is provisional until the appeal filed by the club and the aforementioned players is finally resolved, suspends [La Liga and the RFEF’s decision], and the cancellation of the sports licenses of the aforementioned players.
“It also maintains the validity of said licenses until this appeal is finally resolved.”
It is not a full victory for the club, but it is still a victory under the circumstances. The headlines in recent weeks had mainly focused on Olmo, who was signed for €60 million last summer, and the fact that he would have been within his rights to terminate his contract, be paid the full value of it and move on as a free agent. . Luckily for Barcelona, his loyalty and patience with the club to fix things held firm.
