What’s happening with Dani Olmo? A legal analysis of the registration dispute between FC Barcelona, LaLiga and RFEF

I am certain that more than one FC Barcelona fan—including this author—was on the verge of choking on their New Year’s Eve grapes upon learning that their team had failed to meet LaLiga's (LALIGA) deadline to register their franchise player, Dani Olmo. Signed during the summer transfer window for a reported €55 million plus potential add-ons^[1], Olmo found himself unregistered and thus unable to play as of the start of 2025.

On the evening of December 31, 2024, LALIGA issued a succinct press release stating^[2]: 

“LALIGA reports that, as of today, December 31, FC Barcelona has not presented any alternative that complies with LALIGA's economic control regulations to allow the registration of any player starting January 2”. (free translation)

Fully aware of FC Barcelona's ongoing financial struggles over the past few years, Olmo’s contract included a termination clause. This clause reportedly allows the player to unilaterally terminate his contract and sign with another club, free of consequences, if Barcelona fails to register him during any registration period while the contract remains valid.

And here we are.  After a nerve-wracking week of back-and-forths, on 8 January 2025^[3], the Spanish Sports Supreme Council (SSC) (an agency of the Spanish Government), in a widely debated and criticized decision, granted interim measures to FC Barcelona. These measures temporarily allowed the Catalan club to retain the player's license while the case remains ongoing. Meanwhile, LALIGA has already drawn its sword, announcing its intention to challenge this decision and manifesting its absolute disagreement with it^[4].

Despite the temporary lifeline thrown by the SSC, the club continues to face a trifecta of risks: potentially having to write off significant losses on the unamortized portion of Olmo’s transfer fee, watching him sign for free with another top European club, and enduring public embarrassment for this mismanaged saga.

So how did we get here, and what can we expect next? Let’s dive in.

• The legal context in Spanish football
• Actions undertaken by FC Barcelona to revert the cancelation of Olmo’s license
• Current challenges and next steps for FC Barcelona