Goodbye to Olmo at Barcelona: here’s why and what happens now

Both the league and federation have agreed in their decision that Barcelona cannot re-register neither Olmo nor Pau Víctor.

LaLiga and the RFEF (Royal Spanish Football Federation) reaffirmed on Saturday the de-registration of Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor as first-team players of FC Barcelona. Despite the recent sale of a package of VIP boxes for the future Camp Nou, which injected a significant sum into Barça’s finances, the move came too late.

According to LaLiga, time had already run out for Barça. Dani Olmo, Barça’s number 20, was removed from LaLiga’s official website on Wednesday, along with Pau Víctor, who wore number 18.

LaLiga stated that Barça failed to present “any alternative that complies with LaLiga’s economic control regulations, allowing for player registration from January 2 onwards.” The association, chaired by Javier Tebas, remained firm in its decision. Ultimately, Barça has lost the battle—and, by extension, so has Laporta.

Here is the full statement:

Will Dani Olmo leave Barcelona?

Despite last-minute efforts, Barça’s actions were futile. Dani Olmo is now automatically a free agent. Although his contract binds him to Barça until June 2030, it includes a clause allowing him to leave at no cost—and with compensation—if the club cannot register him.

Previously, Olmo’s registration was temporarily saved due to Andreas Christensen’s long-term injury, which allowed Barça to register Olmo on August 27, albeit with a deadline of December 31. However, the situation was not resolved a second time, and Olmo is now free to leave if he chooses.

The fallout for Barça is significant. The club risks losing one of its key players, and President Joan Laporta now faces mounting pressure, with potential resignation or a vote of no confidence looming on the horizon.