Oluwadamilola Olanrewaju
Barcelona’s financial troubles are back in the spotlight after La Liga published new salary limits last Friday. The Catalan club’s official limit has been cut by a huge €112 million, dropping from €463 million in February to €351 million in September.
This number matters because, in Spain, a club’s salary limit is not just about wages, it decides whether new signings can even be registered to play. If a team spends more than allowed, the league simply blocks the player from being added to the squad.
For Barcelona, this means every transfer now comes with extra stress: can the player actually be registered?
The VIP deal that backfired
The sudden drop is tied to a controversial financial move. Barcelona had hoped to boost revenue by selling 25 years’ worth of income from 475 luxury VIP boxes at the Camp Nou.
Initially, this helped inflate the club’s salary limit, with auditors counting around €100 million from the deal as revenue.
But the latest auditors refused to accept that calculation. To make things worse, Barcelona haven’t even received all the promised payments. Out of €70 million due from their partner, New Era Visionary Group, only €28 million has been delivered so far.
The gap leaves the club exposed and forces them to rely even more on short-term tricks to keep the squad together.
Registration problems could return
This is not a new story for Barcelona. Since Joan Laporta’s return as president, the club has survived by selling future rights, TV money, sponsorships, or commercial deals just to stay within La Liga’s rules.
It allowed them to bring in players like Marcus Rashford on loan and register youngsters such as Joan Garcia and Roony Bardaghji this summer, but each signing required careful balancing.
The problem is clear: if the limit stays at €351 million or drops further, new arrivals will only be possible if others leave, accept pay cuts, or if the club sells even more assets. It’s a sharp contrast with rivals: Real Madrid now enjoy a €761 million limit, while even Atletico Madrid are not far off Barcelona’s figure with €327 million.
One clear example of how this hurts Barcelona is their failed pursuit of Athletic Bilbao star Nico Williams. The deal reportedly collapsed because the club couldn’t guarantee his contract would pass La Liga’s financial test.
Why the academy matters more
In these conditions, La Masia, Barcelona’s famous academy, becomes more important than ever. Developing homegrown players is not only tradition, it’s also cheaper, as they come with fewer registration costs.
But while the academy keeps producing talent, depending too heavily on teenagers risks leaving the team short against Europe’s top clubs, who can mix youth with expensive, experienced signings.
No home advantage
Another headache is the lack of revenue from the Camp Nou. Since May 2023, the club has been forced to play at temporary stadiums, including Montjuïc and the much smaller Johan Cruyff Stadium.
According to La Liga, Barcelona lost €70–80 million last season from reduced ticket and hospitality income.
The hope is that once the renovated Camp Nou is ready, its new VIP areas will finally generate the kind of money Barcelona desperately need. But unless auditors approve those revenues, the financial squeeze will continue.
Source: BusinessElitesAfrica | Read the Full Story…
