Barça’s economic vice president defends the management carried out and the numbers that will be presented to the Assembly
Reinforcements are not budgeted for in January, but if Xavi needs them, they will try to give them to him
Eduard Romeu, economic vice president of FC Barcelona, spoke to SPORT to explain the numbers that the club’s board of directors will present to the Assembly of Committers on October 21. He defends the management that is being done, praises the effort that has been made to reduce the wage bill, attacks the opposition and assures that if Xavi needs any reinforcement in winter, they will make an effort to give it to him. This is a preview of the interview.
What is the real economic situation of the club?
We have a situation in which we have been able to cover the leak that we had of 200 million annual losses in the ordinary activity of the club that forced us to carry out extraordinary operations known as levers. We asked the partners for four years of patience to reverse this situation and we have been able to do it in two. At the same time, we have been able to be competitive on a sporting level and win the League last year. There is still a legacy debt situation that worries me, but with an aggressive and painful Viability Plan we have been able to present a balanced budget without levers.
For Víctor Font, however, it is catastrophic. He said it’s worse than the one they found.
There are people who are in a permanent campaign. The club is losing 200 million annually since the 17-18 season. We have been transparent. To reverse this situation we have carried out extraordinary operations and we have explained it. Before, other operations were carried out to make up the numbers, such as revaluing players.
They will present profits of 304 million euros. How do they arrive at that figure?
We budgeted income of 1,255 million euros and we have achieved 1,259. We have some negative points such as the television income due to the early elimination of the Champions League that penalized us by 23 million or the transfers made, especially for Griezmann’s 20 million. These situations were compensated with more income. From the stadium, 28 million more than expected and an additional 19 million from the commercial part. In addition, an extraordinary 400 million were added for the second sales lever of 15% of rights. LaLiga television.
How do you rate this season’s budget, with 859 million expected in revenue?
It is ambitious, but there is a high percentage that has already been achieved. Compared to last year, there is a drop in stadium income of 78 million due to the move to Montjuïc, less than initially expected. On average, there are 28 million more because I am sure that we will reach the quarterfinals in the Champions League. The commercial part also increases because the stores work very well and there is a decrease of 377 million because there are no levers. In expenses, there is a decrease of 333 million. 184 are from the sports salary bill without now contemplating either exits or entries. In total, we will have a profit before taxes of eleven million, but the most important thing is that we have been able to plug the hole of 200 million.
How do you define the reduction in the wage bill that has occurred?
As essential. We had to put it at the levels recommended by UEFA. We have the added difficulty of having sections, but we are going to reach 492 million. We came from 676 with most exercises above 600. In addition, we have been able to revalue the equipment. They are younger and more competitive, with many players with more market value. Furthermore, we have done it by complying with the contracts, without putting our hand in the players’ pockets and respecting the ‘More than a Club’ by not accepting sponsorship contracts with a lot of money but with values that are not aligned with Barça.
Will there be money in the winter market to reinforce the squad?
In two and a half years we have been able to meet the needs of the technicians, so if the case arises we will make every effort to meet their requests.