The heavily indebted FC Barcelona may have to sell even more club rights in order to be able to register multi-million dollar newcomers like world footballer Robert Lewandowski in the Spanish league.
Without such a registration, which is only possible if the financial fair play rules are observed, the players are not even allowed on the pitch in the season that begins on August 12th. “We’ve been working on enrolling everyone”said club president Joan Laporta. “But if necessary, we will take action again,” the newspaper quoted him “La Vanguardia“.
As recently as August 1, the Catalan club announced the sale of a 24.5 percent stake in the Barça Licensing and Merchandising (BLM) announced to the company Socios for 100 million euros. Previously, Barça already had a total of 25 percent of the TV rights for 25 years to the investment company Sixth St sold.
The sale of further club shares could be necessary
However, it was unclear whether the club really made enough money with these sales to be able to afford the squad with the German national goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen and numerous reinforcements. Just for Lewandowski, who switched from FC Bayern Munich, for the Brazilian Raphina (LeedsUnited) and for the Frenchman Jules Koundé from FC Seville the club spent a total of at least 150 million euros this summer.
According to a report by the Spanish radio station “Cope”, it is precisely this sum that is disputed and could necessitate the sale of further club shares. Because Barça gave the income from the sale of the TV rights for 25 years to Sixth Street to the league at 667 million euros. However, Sixth Street only paid 517 million, Barça contributed the remaining 150 million itself by selling its own TV rights from 2048 to a subsidiary founded jointly with Sixth Street. The league only wants to accept income of 517 million euros.
A request to FC Barcelona about the Cope report initially went unanswered.