Barcelona legend brands former club as CHEATERS for controversial registration

A Barcelona legend has become the latest to take aim at the financially-floundering Catalan giants after they were controversially allowed to re-register £50million summer signing Dani Olmo and teammate Pau Victor.

The Blaugrana finally received the green light to register the former RB Leipzig playmaker after an extended saga that saw Barcelona appeal to the Higher Sports Council (CSD).

A decision that has sparked outrage across Spanish football, the exceptional circumstances of the case have seen the CSD defend their one-of-a-kind decision by stating the preventing of both Olmo and Victor's registrations would cause significant harm to the players, Barcelona, and even the interests of the Spanish national team.

Given the hugely controversial nature of the outcome, Barcelona have been subjected to a torrent of criticism, with even some of the club's former stars speaking out against them.

Ex-Barca defender Ronald de Boer has lambasted his former employer for once again letting the rules pass them by.

'It's very sad that a club as beautiful as Barca is still allowed to cheat,' De Boer said, speaking on Dutch television.

'Coming from what I was before… playing with UNICEF on the shirt. Other clubs play by the rules, they try to survive, but Barcelona are allowed to get away with everything, which is crazy. If it were a company, it would have filed for bankruptcy.

'It's ridiculous, it's become a soap opera. They just want to continue competing with Real Madrid, and they hate the fact that Real Madrid continues to reap success.'

What was hoped would be an easy re-registration process, LaLiga's stringent financial laws had prevented Barcelona from extending the registration for Olmo and Victor as they had exceeded their allotted salary cap.

With the added risk of losing Olmo on a free, the ugly affair concluded with the CSD giving them permission to temporarily register both players.

A number of clubs have voiced their intention to appeal the decision, with staunch rivals Atletico Madrid quick to hit out at the ruling, questioning whether it subverts their aim for 'fair competition'.

LaLiga has also launched a legal battle against the CSD's decision after not being allowed to respond to the greenlighting of Olmo and Victor's re-registration, arguing that it was mistaken due to the absence of an opportunity to defend its stance before the provisional measure was approved.

The league is attempting to counter their stance due to the RFEF General Regulations rule that prohibits the re-registration of a player removed from a team’s squad during the same season.

A possible punishment could see the CSD's ruling be rubbished as null and void if LaLiga are successful.

Nevertheless, the decision means that both Olmo and Victor are now in contention to feature when Hansi Flick's side side face Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup final on Sunday.

And ahead of El Clasico, outspoken Barca president Joan Laporta has made his feelings clear on the ruling.

'This Super Cup has been surrounded by controversy that could have been avoided if things had been done differently,' Laporta said, per Marca.

'The fact is that it has now been resolved and they will be able to play.'