National Sports Council decides
©IMAGO
Hansi Flick can breathe a sigh of relief after days of fighting for the right to play for European champion Dani Olmo. Spain’s Supreme National Sports Council (CSD) temporarily granted registration to the 26-year-old and his teammate Pau Víctor (23). Both are therefore allowed to play for FC Barcelona until a final decision is made. This should happen within a three-month period.
The CSD will now hear the arguments of LaLiga and the association regarding the refusal of a new license for both players in order to make a final decision. In the meantime, Olmo and Víctor can play again in order to protect their sporting careers. It would be possible to play in the possible final of the Spanish Supercopa this Sunday, but the decision came too late for the semi-final on Wednesday evening against Athletic Bilbao.
The reason for the constant headlines surrounding Olmo for weeks is the Catalans’ financial problems. FC Barcelona is heavily in debt and was initially unable to present the league with an alternative to meet the conditions for Olmo’s registration. The Catalans also failed in their attempt to enforce this in court.
The sale of VIP boxes in the modernized Camp Nou stadium, where the team has not yet played again, ultimately brought about the breakthrough. An investment fund from the Arab region is said to have paid 100 million euros for it, but Barcelona was initially unable to show the full amount.
Olmo’s departure would have been expensive for FC Barcelona
Even before the decision, Flick had emphasized that he had “confidence in the club and everyone involved.” To be honest, he and the team are not happy with the situation either. At least the club bosses are spared from having to dig deep into their pockets for practically nothing.
According to Spanish reports, a free transfer for Olmo if he failed to register could have cost the club over 260 million euros. When he moved from RB Leipzig to FC Barcelona for 55 million euros, Olmo signed a contract until 2030 and would have been entitled to his salary until then.
Those responsible were correspondingly very happy. Pictures from the broadcaster “Esport3” showed club president Joan Laporta after the CSD’s decision was announced in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where the Supercopa is being held, as he hugged Barça employees and ran through the catacombs, cheering and screaming with euphoria.