Barcelona Granted Temporary Permission for Olmo and Pau Victor to Play Amid Financial Dispute

Barcelona has been granted provisional permission by Spain’s national sports council (CSD) to register summer signings Dani Olmo and Pau Victor, allowing them to play in the short term while the club’s appeal against La Liga’s and the Spanish Football Federation’s (RFEF) decision is pending.

Both players, who joined Barcelona in the summer, had been temporarily registered for the first half of the season due to the club’s ongoing financial struggles, which prevented them from meeting La Liga’s strict wage cap regulations.

Despite this, a request to formally register Olmo and Victor was rejected by both La Liga and RFEF on Saturday.

However, after Barcelona filed an appeal, the CSD intervened on Wednesday, granting the club a precautionary measure that permits both players to continue playing until a final ruling is made on the matter.

A statement from the CSD explained: “This provisional measure suspends La Liga and RFEF’s decision and maintains the validity of the players’ licenses until the appeal is fully resolved.”

The decision allows both Olmo, 26, and Victor, 23, to feature for Barcelona, but it was too late for them to be included in the team for Wednesday’s Spanish Supercopa semi-final against Athletic Club, which Barcelona won 2-0. The duo, however, will be eligible to play in Sunday’s final against either Real Madrid or Mallorca.

Olmo, a £51m summer signing from RB Leipzig, had previously been granted special exemption to play in the first half of the season, but Barcelona’s financial difficulties prevented them from officially registering him under La Liga’s financial fair play rules.

Barcelona had also attempted to register the players in a previous round of legal proceedings, but those efforts were rejected by two courts. To meet financial requirements, the club reportedly raised funds by selling VIP boxes for their new stadium, currently under construction, for €100 million (£83.42m).

La Liga, which was informed of the CSD decision, has expressed disagreement with the ruling and is set to review it in detail. The Spanish governing body also emphasized that it had not been given the opportunity to provide its counterarguments, as the CSD’s decision was made without prior consultation.

In a statement, La Liga confirmed: “The resolution was adopted without having forwarded the appeal to La Liga or RFEF. Therefore, we are still awaiting further clarification.”

The situation remains fluid, but for now, both Olmo and Victor will be available for Barcelona’s upcoming matches as the club continues to challenge La Liga’s financial regulations and the validity of the rules limiting player registration within the same season.