Barcelona president Joan Laporta has been officially notified by La Ligaโs chief, Javier Tebas, that Barรงa are now operating under the 1:1 financial rule for this summerโs transfer window. This return to compliance means the club can register new playersโsuch as Joan Garcรญa and potentially Nico Williamsโwithout facing restrictions imposed by salary cap limits and spending ratios (besoccer.com).
๐ What does the โ1:1 ruleโ mean?
Under La Liga’s financial fair play framework, clubs must match โฌ1 in spending (on transfers and wages) with โฌ1 in revenue or savings. Being back within this rule signals that Barcelonaโs wage bill and transfer costs are now balanced by their income, allowing for active participation in the transfer market.
๐ How did Barcelona get back to 1:1?
- The return of โฌ100โฏmillion from CampโฏNou VIP seatingโnow accepted by auditors after installationโwas crucial in bolstering Barรงaโs financial statements (theguardian.com).
- Improvements in income (including matchday, sponsorship, and broadcasting) plus efforts to trim the wage bill and offload players helped restore financial balance .
๐ Tebas vs. Laporta: A tale of two takes
- Tebas had maintained publicly that Barรงa were not yet operating under the 1:1 rule, cautioning that they’d need further financial moves to truly comply (cadenaser.com).
- Laporta, on the other hand, confidently asserted at the Barcelona Assembly that the club had returned to 1:1 status and could register players “normally” this summer (tribuna.com).
โฝ What this means on the pitchโand in the market
- Barcelona can move forward with signings like Joan Garcรญa, and potentially re-activate transfers such as Nico Williams, pending that they maintain this financial status (barcablaugranes.com).
- The club still needs to manage player salaries and amortization smartly, ensuring they remain comfortably within their limits as they strengthen the squad (mundodeportivo.com).
โ Bottom line
Tebas has confirmed to Laporta that Barรงa has regained compliance with the 1:1 rule, unlocking their ability to sign and register new players this summerโprovided they continue balancing their books. Barcelonaโs leadership is now walking a fine line: making calculated squad improvements while avoiding slipping out of financial fairness.