Various opposition groups and supporters of FC Barcelona have united to demand the resignation of club president Joan Laporta following the mishandling of Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor’s failed registrations.
This mounting pressure highlights growing unrest within the club over recent administrative decisions.
United Opposition Against Laporta
Ten opposition parties, spearheaded by Victor Font’s Sí al Futur and Joan Camprubí Montal’s Som un Clam, have accused Laporta of “negligence” in handling the registration fiasco.
Their collective statement also points to several other issues fueling their dissatisfaction with the president, whose term runs until 2026.
The controversies include:
Commission fees: High payments made to third parties during the renewal of the club’s sponsorship deal with Nike.
Fan disputes: The closure of the singing section at the Olympic Stadium due to unresolved conflicts with supporters.
Financial decisions: The €100 million ($104.2m) sale of Camp Nou VIP seats for the next 20 years, a move that has drawn significant criticism during the stadium’s renovation phase.
In their statement, the 10 groups warned that failure to resign could prompt them to pursue a vote of no confidence against Laporta’s leadership.
The Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor Situation
The conflict escalated after LaLiga and the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) announced Barça’s inability to re-register Olmo and Víctor for the second half of the season.
The club missed the Dec. 31 deadline to prove compliance with financial fair play (FFP) regulations.
Barça has stated their intention to appeal the ruling to the Consejo Superior de Deportes (CSD), Spain’s highest sports court. Despite the setback, club sources remain optimistic about resolving the issue and hope to reinstate both players this season.
Olmo and Víctor, included in the squad for this week’s Spanish Supercopa in Saudi Arabia, await clarity.
Barça plans to request a “precautionary measure” allowing the players to compete while the case is under review.
They argue that the delay in finalizing the €100m VIP box sale, deemed crucial for FFP compliance, was caused by force majeure.
Legal and Contractual Implications
The Blaugrana also challenge the interpretation of regulations that prevent players from being registered twice in a single season.
Both Olmo and Víctor had been granted temporary registrations earlier, taking advantage of LaLiga rules that allowed Barcelona to allocate 80% of the salary of long-term injured player Andreas Christensen to register replacements.
If the players remain unregistered, their contracts permit them to leave for free, creating a potential blow for Barça.
However, sources close to the players report no immediate plans to depart, as they await the outcome of the appeal.
A Divisive Presidency
Laporta’s presidency continues to polarize fans and stakeholders. The latest controversies over player registrations, financial management, and supporter relations compound the challenges he faces as he seeks to steer Barcelona through turbulent times.
The coming weeks will determine whether Laporta’s leadership survives the growing unrest or if opposition groups succeed in forcing significant changes at the club.
For now, the appeals process and on-field performances remain critical to Barcelona’s season and its future stability.
