"Barcelona began internal disciplinary measures concerning"
FC Barcelona is grappling with challenges in registering new players due to the Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules in LaLiga. The club's ability to register new signings is heavily dependent on adhering to LaLiga's financial controls, particularly the "1:1 rule," which allows for the reinvestment of savings from player departures or long-term injuries into new player registrations.
A significant complication arises in the case of Marc-André ter Stegen, Barcelona's goalkeeper, who has refused to provide his injury report to LaLiga's medical commission. This refusal prevents Barcelona from officially declaring him on long-term injury, blocking the club from freeing up 80% of his salary under FFP rules to register new players.
Without ter Stegen's official medical leave authorization, the club cannot utilize this exemption to reduce its salary cap burden, complicating registrations of new signings like Marcus Rashford and others who remain unregistered as the season approaches. This situation, combined with strict enforcement of FFP rules, means Barcelona is still working to "activate the VIP box lever" to boost revenue and return to the 1:1 financial reinvestment rule for full operational freedom on player signings.
Barcelona's management claims they have achieved a clean bill of financial health under LaLiga's rules, but LaLiga has not fully aligned with the club's assessment, leading to ongoing tension and uncertainty for player registration and squad planning for the current season.
In a similar vein, Barcelona previously faced problems registering Dani Olmo due to financial fair play rules. However, further details about this case were not provided in this paragraph.
Ter Stegen recently underwent surgery on his back and initially estimated a recovery time of three months in a social media post. Barcelona estimates a recovery time of four months or more for ter Stegen. The medical data of Ter Stegen is confidential, and Barcelona sees obligations towards the employer in the context of his medical data.
Despite the current challenges, Barcelona could potentially register Joan García, who they signed as a new goalkeeper, using this rule. Ter Stegen's contract with Barcelona extends until 2028. Several high-profile clubs, including Manchester City, Manchester United, FC Chelsea, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Juventus Turin, Galatasaray Istanbul, and AS Monaco, were interested in Ter Stegen before his injury.
In response to ter Stegen's refusal to forward his injury report to the league's medical commission, FC Barcelona will initiate a disciplinary procedure against the goalkeeper. Ter Stegen's consent is required for the disclosure of his medical data. The club is financially struggling, and this refusal directly impacts their ability to register new signings before the LaLiga season starts. The ongoing dispute highlights the delicate balance Barcelona must maintain between financial compliance and squad competitiveness.
- Despite Ter Stegen's refusal to provide his injury report, Barcelona's ability to utilize the FFP rule for player registrations, such as Marcus Rashford, is affected, as they need his official medical leave authorization to free up funds.
- In light of challenges like Ter Stegen's injury report refusal and strict FFP regulations, Barcelona is seeking to boost revenue to meet financial requirements and fully reinvest in new player signings, likening the situation to activating a "VIP box lever."
