Barcelona set for €37.5m bill after massive blunder
Karan Tejwani
- 8 Aug 2022 11:41 BST
- 3 min read
Barcelona have had a busy transfer window, signing five players to bolster their squad and be able to challenge on all fronts in the upcoming season.
The club made some big moves over the summer, bringing in the likes of Robert Lewandowksi, Raphinha, Jules Kounde, Franck Kessie and Andreas Christensen, strengthening the team significantly.
However, the players may not be able to play in their La Liga opener against Rayo Vallecano, as they may not be registered in time for the start of the season.
This is due to differences in the income shown between Barcelona’s accounts and La Liga’s accounts, which is stopping them from registering their new signings.
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Barcelona set for huge bill
Barcelona have raised funds this summer through the activation of economic levers – selling chunks of the clubs properties in a bid to earn immediate money.
They’ve activated three of these levers, and the first two earned them a total of €667 million, but La Liga has only accounted for €517 million, showing a €150 million difference.
Spanish radio now have an explanation for this difference, as they say Barcelona set up their own holdings company to which it paid its own money.
They paid this company €150 million to buy its own assets to inflate the value of the sale, which La Liga has now identified and ultimately rejected, saying it’s not “new money”.
Cadena Cope say that Barcelona have falsely inflated the prices of their economic levers.
Of the €667m they claim to have received, €150m of it was their own money. pic.twitter.com/BmDl0Yk50I— Football España (@footballespana_) August 8, 2022
Barcelona must now pay €37.5 million as a corporate tax on this payment as the Spanish tax agency accounts for 25 percent going to taxes.
This is hardly good for Barcelona, as they took a gamble and will now have to pay for it – something they don’t need as they’re already in serious financial trouble.
The club are in big debts, unable to register signings, and they’re taking risks they can avoid and making mistakes, which is only putting their future in further doubt.
While things may work out for Barcelona on the pitch with such a talented team, there will be a need for immediate success and questions over their long-term future.
