Barcelona Mortgages Its Future Again

Barcelona has once again put its future at risk financially. This time, the club has made a deal to comply with La Liga’s 1:1 financial fair play rule and register new signings Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor. The club has sold the rights to luxury boxes in the future Spotify Camp Nou to Middle Eastern investors for the next 30 years.

Barcelona announced the agreement in an official statement, detailing the sale of 475 luxury boxes for three decades. However, the club did not specify which company made the purchase. This desperate measure came after a judge twice denied Barcelona’s request for an injunction to register players and meet the 1:1 rule.

The deal, which closed for around 100 million euros, has provided the club with immediate funds to register players. However, it will deprive Barcelona of guaranteed income for the next 30 years. This latest financial “lever” follows several other moves mortgaging future revenues to address current financial needs.

The Barcelona board decided to pursue this option after failing in the courts. The club had hoped its new Nike agreement would be sufficient to balance the books, but the judge ruled it did not meet financial fair play regulations. Facing the possibility of losing new signing Dani Olmo if not registered by December 31, Barcelona was forced to take drastic action.

This move highlights the ongoing financial challenges facing Barcelona as it tries to remain competitive while dealing with massive debt and strict league financial rules. It remains to be seen how mortgaging future revenues will impact the club’s long-term financial stability and competitiveness.