Barcelona has received good news regarding Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor. Spain's highest sports authority, the CSD, has given them temporary permission to play while it reviews the club's appeal against La Liga's decision to revoke their licenses.
Although the registration wasn't processed in time for the Super Cup semi-final, both players are eligible to play in Sunday's final against Real Madrid or Real Mallorca. A final decision is anticipated within the next three months. Notably, Olmo and Víctor were sidelined during Barcelona's recent Copa del Rey match against Barbastro. This decision by the CSD, a government entity, contradicts prior rulings from La Liga, the football federation, and two courts.
The CSD emphasized that preventing Olmo and Víctor from playing during the investigation would cause significant financial and sporting harm to both the club and the players. It also highlighted potential negative impacts on the Spanish national team and other competitions. The CSD asserted the players' right to a sporting career that reflects their talents.
Barcelona's initial inability to extend Olmo and Víctor's registration stemmed from exceeding La Liga's salary cap. While a last-minute €100 million sale of VIP boxes at the Camp Nou aimed to resolve this, the deal wasn't finalized before the December 31st deadline. The club had previously lost two lawsuits challenging this ruling.
Olmo, signed for €48 million despite exceeding the salary cap, was registered until December due to Andreas Christensen's injury. League rules permit clubs to use a portion of an injured player's salary to register a replacement. Anticipating potential issues, Olmo's contract included a clause allowing him to leave as a free agent if registration failed.
As the deadline loomed, Barcelona applied for a new license on New Year's Eve. However, La Liga declared the club had taken no action to enable player registration from January 2nd, leading to both players being removed from the squad.
Barcelona couldn't re-sign them as free agents after meeting financial requirements, as clubs are barred from registering the same player twice in a season. On January 4th, La Liga and the federation jointly stated they couldn't register Olmo or Víctor based on their interpretation of specific regulations.
This seemingly definitive stance allowed for alternative interpretations, prompting Barcelona to submit a 50-page report to the CSD. They argued that the rule's intent wasn't applicable to these circumstances and questioned the commission's authority.
The CSD's decision to investigate, suspending the agreement between La Liga and the federation, doesn't prejudge the case's outcome. However, it provides the temporary resolution Barcelona sought: Olmo and Víctor will be back in the squad on Thursday.
Barcelona triumphs in Spanish Super Cup semi-final
Barcelona secured a 2-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish Super Cup semi-final with goals from Gavi and Lamine Yamal. This win marks their third consecutive appearance in the final.
Gavi scored the opening goal in the 17th minute, followed by Lamine Yamal's goal seven minutes into the second half. Barcelona, the most successful team in Super Cup history with 14 titles, will face either Real Madrid or Mallorca in Sunday's final.
The match saw early chances for Raphinha, but it was Gavi who capitalized on a pass from Pedri and a well-placed ball from Alejandro Balde to score. While Raphinha missed an opportunity to double the lead, Athletic began creating chances of their own, testing Barcelona's goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.
Lamine Yamal, returning from an ankle injury, showcased his skill with a goal assisted by Gavi. Despite bringing on Nico Williams, Athletic couldn't overcome the deficit. Although they had two goals disallowed due to offside calls, Barcelona ultimately deserved their place in the final.
