Barcelona accused of match-fixing. La Liga appeals Olmo case.

La Liga has appealed against its decision to register Barcelona players Olmo and Victor, accusing the Catalan club of manipulating Financial Fair Play rules.

On Monday, the Spanish Football League (LFP) filed an administrative appeal, requesting "precautionary measures" against the High Sports Council's decision to allow Barcelona players Dani Olmo and Pau Victor to play for the Catalan club until the end of the season.

The league, which appealed the decision of Spain's highest sports body, called in a statement for an "urgent judicial response" in the name of sporting justice, asserting that the High Sports Council's decision "violates" the rules governing economic control of the Spanish league.

The High Sports Council, tasked with settling the dispute between Barcelona, the league, and the Spanish Football Federation, issued its ruling on April 3 in favor of the Catalan club.

I consider the revocation of the licenses of Olmo, who arrived last summer from RB Leipzig, and promising youngster Victor, due to a lack of financial guarantees, "null and void," and I have allowed them to play with their teams until the end of the season.

The league immediately appealed this decision, deeming it "inconsistent" with the law. It explained that the licenses of the two players, who were temporarily registered at the start of the season following the injury of Denmark's Andreas Christensen, "automatically expired" on December 31.

Barcelona and Financial Fair Play rules

This comes as Barcelona seeks to find a new source of income to comply with Financial Fair Play regulations.

Last week, La Liga announced that Barcelona was not complying with Financial Fair Play regulations and that its auditors had provided incorrect information that allowed the club to include players on its 2025 roster.

The Catalan club believed it had achieved this goal when it officially announced last January the sale of its VIP seating investment at the Camp Nou stadium, which is undergoing renovation, for an estimated €100 million over 20 years.

However, the league announced that: "No amount from the VIP box agreement was ultimately recorded in the profit and loss accounts, contrary to what was approved by the club and the financial auditor at the time of the transaction."

The Spanish Sports Authority, the country's highest sports authority, had provisionally allowed Olmo and Victor to play again for the Blaugrana in January, pending a final decision.

Barcelona has been struggling financially for several years, and in 2022, it sold various parts of the club and future TV rights revenue to be able to sign stars such as Poland's Robert Lewandowski and Brazil's Raphinha.

Spending in the upcoming summer transfer window will be difficult for Barcelona without prior sales if the league's new outlook on its financial situation remains unchanged.

Source: Yemen Youth Net + beIN Sports