Barcelona Hits Major Roadblock as Player Registration Crisis Strikes Again
An administrative holdup in Barcelona's financial review has compelled the La Liga titleholders to postpone the squad registrations of their summer acquisitions, according to recent reports.
Still not complying with La Liga's 1:1 financial regulations, Barcelona has been unable to officially add players to their roster this summer, leaving new arrivals Joan García, Marcus Rashford and Roony Bardghji currently ineligible to participate in Spain's premier division. Rashford has stated he remains calm regarding the circumstances.
Barcelona leadership has consistently expressed certainty that all matters will be settled promptly—similar to previous situations before Dani Olmo's registration became a prolonged, still-pending legal matter last campaign—but SPORT reports they have encountered an unforeseen postponement.
The club's financial records are undergoing examination by Crowe Spain, but complications in the concluding phases of this procedure mean La Liga remains unable to make a definitive decision regarding Barcelona's player acquisition capabilities. It's emphasized that this setback represents merely a procedural delay, not a problem with the club's financial statements.
There had been expectations that Barcelona could register their new acquisitions prior to this weekend's Joan Gamper Trophy match against Como, but these arrangements have now been postponed by at least another seven days.
Beyond new acquisitions, Barcelona is also presently unable to complete any fresh contracts or register players who have returned from either loan spells or extended injury absences. As disclosed by MARCA, there are up to eight players currently stuck in limbo outside the official roster.
Wojciech Szczęsny, Gerard Martín, Héctor Fort, Marc Bernal and Oriol Romeu are all pending registration, though the latter is anticipated to depart the club regardless.
Barcelona's La Liga campaign commences next Saturday, Aug. 16, versus Mallorca. Currently, none of the previously mentioned players are available, creating a significant challenge for manager Hansi Flick, particularly regarding goalkeeping options.
García and Szczęsny are both excluded from the squad—the Polish goalkeeper's new deal was only completed after his registration had lapsed—and Marc-André ter Stegen faces a prolonged absence due to injury, leaving transfer-seeking keeper Iñaki Peña as the sole senior alternative at present.
Barcelona had anticipated that Ter Stegen's injury would allow them to exclude his wages for the season's first half. La Liga regulations permit any player sidelined for more than four months to be temporarily removed from salary calculations, but Ter Stegen has publicly announced his return within three months and is declining to provide the club with his medical documentation. This dispute has resulted in his temporary removal from the captaincy role.