Barcelona players, Dani Olmo and Pau Victor, have been granted provisional clearance to play for the club following a decision by the Spanish Sports Council on Wednesday.
The ruling allows the financially constrained Catalan side to temporarily utilize the duo despite missing the registration deadline at the close of last year.
Olmo and Victor, who joined Barcelona during the summer and were initially issued temporary licenses, found themselves unable to be registered before the cutoff date.
However, the CSD’s decision permits the players to feature for the club until a final determination is made in Barcelona’s legal dispute with La Liga and the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), which previously blocked their registration renewal.
“This measure, which is provisional until the appeal filed by the club and the aforementioned players is finally resolved, suspends (La Liga and RFEF’s decision), and the cancellation of the sports licenses of the aforementioned players,” the CSD clarified in an official statement. “It also maintains the validity of said licenses until this appeal is finally resolved.”
Despite the ruling, both players are unavailable for Barcelona’s Spanish Super Cup semi-final against Athletic Bilbao in Saudi Arabia later on Wednesday.
If Barcelona advances, Olmo and Victor could feature in the final on Sunday and in subsequent matches until the CSD delivers its final verdict.
Barcelona had already been without the duo for their Copa del Rey round of 32 victory over Barbastro on Saturday, with the club presenting its case to the CSD two days later.
The players were originally registered after Barcelona exploited a financial loophole caused by an injury to defender Andreas Christensen.
However, the club’s attempts to secure fresh licenses for the pair last week were thwarted in court. To meet La Liga’s financial fair play requirements, Barcelona recently sold VIP boxes at the under-construction Spotify Camp Nou for an estimated €100 million ($104 million), though the transaction’s documentation was submitted three days past the league’s deadline.
While La Liga acknowledged Barcelona’s compliance with financial regulations, they maintained that the players’ licenses could not be renewed, citing a rule that prohibits athletes from obtaining a new license with the same club during a single season.
Barcelona, arguing the rule is outdated, contends that since the transfer window remains open and they now have the necessary funds, Olmo and Victor should be eligible for registration.
