Spanish topflight side, Athletic Club, have officially confirmed that they held a formal meeting with La Liga authorities to raise concerns over FC Barcelona’s ongoing financial conduct, particularly in relation to their player registration capabilities ahead of the upcoming season. The Basque club expressed unease over what they perceive as continued flexibility granted to the Catalan giants despite ongoing financial fair play restrictions.
In a strongly worded statement released to the public, Athletic Club emphasised that they approached La Liga with the intention of safeguarding the integrity of the league and ensuring equal treatment for all clubs. “We have met with La Liga to express our concern about the registration of FC Barcelona players under the current financial fair play framework,” the club disclosed. “Athletic Club will continue to defend its interests and ensure that the regulations are applied fairly and without exception.”
This development comes amidst widespread speculation over how Barcelona, grappling with well-documented financial difficulties and a strained wage bill, intend to register new signings ahead of the 2025/2026 season. While the Blaugrana have maintained that they are in compliance with La Liga’s adjusted economic controls—introduced in recent years to stabilise club spending—some rival clubs, such as Athletic, remain unconvinced.
Football analysts in Spain and across Europe have frequently noted that Barcelona have often relied on unconventional financial manoeuvres, including asset sales and deferred payments, to balance their books. Critics argue that such practices, while technically within the boundaries of the law, stretch the spirit of the fair play rules that were introduced to promote long-term sustainability in the sport.
La Liga has acknowledged the meeting with Athletic Club but has not issued any public statement confirming whether disciplinary investigations or additional financial checks will be initiated. Meanwhile, fans and stakeholders await the league’s final verdict on Barcelona’s squad registration for the season.
As tensions simmer between tradition-rich clubs seeking fairness and giants navigating financial tightropes, this unfolding scenario could set a precedent for how La Liga enforces its own rules in a post-COVID football economy.
