Although FC Barcelona fans would remember the year 2025 quite fondly, as they saw their team once again become one of the most entertaining teams in Europe, while also winning several trophies, there is no doubt that the Catalan club still faced some very difficult moments in this past year as well.
For instance, the very start of the year brought a lot of uncertainty, as the Blaugrana club vied with La Liga for the registrations of Dani Olmo and Pau Victor.
Both players had been provisionally registered thanks to Andreas Christensen’s injury at the start of the 2024-25 season, but Barcelona needed to generate additional income before the end of December to secure their places in the squad.
A last-minute commercial operation involving the temporary exploitation of VIP boxes at the future Spotify Camp Nou was designed to resolve the issue, yet disagreements with La Liga over timing led to licence withdrawals, appeals, and ultimately intervention from Spain’s Higher Sports Council.
Although both players were allowed to complete the season, the episode underlined how fragile Barcelona’s financial compliance remained.
As 2026 begins, however, the scenario is noticeably calmer. According to [SPORT](https://www.sport.es/es/noticias/barca/barca-respira-fair-play-empezar-125177906), there will be no repeat of the so-called Olmo case this winter. The long-term injury suffered by Marc-André ter Stegen was certified by La Liga’s medical commission as lasting more than four months, allowing Barcelona to activate the exceptional registration mechanism for the entire season.
The salary margin freed by the German goalkeeper’s absence was sufficient to register Joan Garcia until the end of the campaign, with no requirement to revisit or renew his licence in January. Both La Liga and the club insist there was never any real risk in this process.
That sense of relief does not mean Barcelona have escaped their financial fair play problems altogether. While the situation is less critical than a year ago, the club still exceeds La Liga’s salary cap and remains constrained when it comes to reinforcing the squad in the January transfer window.
To generate new salary space, Barcelona are essentially limited to two realistic avenues. One is the use of a large portion of Andreas Christensen’s salary, [provided the club submits the relevant medical documentation within the established deadline](https://semprebarca.com/barcelona-prepare-to-process-christensens-long-term-injury-eye-january-signing/).
The other possibility involves a departure for Ter Stegen, with Girona emerging as the most likely destination, should a deal be structured in which the receiving club assumes part of the goalkeeper’s wages.
In short, Barcelona start 2026 breathing easier on the regulatory front, but the underlying battle with financial fair play remains unresolved, continuing to shape every sporting decision the club makes.