Barcelona debt remains at €1.35b as club looks to take on further costs

Barcelona have failed to improve their debt situation since President Joan Laporta took power for the second time, over two years ago in March of 2021.

Cadena Cope covered a press conference given by Vice-President of Economics Eduard Romeu, who explained that the club debt is at €1.35b, the same as it was when they took power. That does not take into account the €1.5b debt taken on to fund the Espai Barca project either.

Romeu protested that they had restructured the debt over a period of 10 years, and had gotten the club moving in the right direction again, given the critical situation they inherited. Laporta would not doubt argue that it was necessary to speculate to accumulate, which was the motive behind the economic levers last summer.

It was revealed that the salary limit had been reduced from €708m to €528m, and that a further €51m of that pertains to returning loan players that they intend on moving on this summer, in Clement Lenglet, Samuel Umtiti, Alex Collado, Gustavo Maia and Sergino Dest.

Romeu continued to claim that they inherited a mammoth €389m bill in deferred salaries, and rising contracts, the legacy of former President Josep Maria Bartomeu pushing costs into the future. €70m of that figure is still to be paid.

This comes after former Presidential rival Victor Font claimed that Barcelona were worse off economically than when the current board took over, during a press conference of his own last week.

Certainly it appears that Barcelona are not yet better off. While the situation continues to concern many, especially that Barcelona will essentially be controlled by its debtors if matters do not improve.

However in terms of voting intention, Barcelona members have consistently shown, understandably, that they care more for what happens on the pitch than off it.