According to speculations, Barcelona could be barred from competing in the 2024/25 Champions League due to financial breaches.
The Blaugrana advanced to the round of 16 after topping Group H, and will face Serie A champions Napoli in two games.
However, according to new allegations, the team is facing expulsion from Europe’s top club competition after violating Financial Fair Play rules.
Barcelona’s financial problems have been well chronicled in recent years, yet they recorded a net profit of 304 million euros in September.
The club’s balance sheets, however, were described as “a mess” by WELT.
UEFA fined Barcelona €500,000 in the summer after the governing body’s financial control chamber ruled that the Catalan club “incorrectly declared profits” and that their income was not “relevant.”
According to reports, a ban of “two to three years” is feasible, with the approach “the greater the loss, the greater the penalty.”
However, given that they are one of the driving factors behind the European Super League’s relaunch, a prospective ban may not have as great of an impact as one might think.
Barca responded swiftly to the European Union of Justice judgement on Thursday, expressing their wish to be a part of the breakaway league.
A statement read: “FC Barcelona wishes to express its satisfaction with the sentence of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) assessing the Super League project as proposed by A22 Sports.
“As one of the clubs driving the Super League project, FC Barcelona feels that the sentence paves the way for a new elite level football competition in Europe by opposing the monopoly over the football world, and wishes to initiate new discussions as to the path that European competitions should take in the future.”
However, a long range of clubs have distanced themselves from any connection, and both UEFA and FIFA have stated that the verdict makes no difference.
