Barcelona Lose Second Appeal to Register Dani Olmo Before Deadline

Barcelona’s hopes of re-registering Spain forward Dani Olmo for the remainder of the season have suffered another setback after a second court rejected their appeal, just a day before the transfer deadline.

Olmo has scored 11 goals in 41 appearances for Spain

Olmo, 26, joined Barcelona from RB Leipzig in August for a reported fee of €60m (£51m). However, he was only registered for the first half of the season due to the club’s inability to comply with La Liga’s wage cap rules.

Last week, a court dismissed Barcelona’s initial appeal to re-register Olmo, and on Monday, a second court upheld that decision. This means the forward may not be eligible to play for the club starting 1 January.

La Liga stated the court rejected Barcelona’s request for precautionary registration, citing that “none of the necessary conditions for such a measure were met.” The league also defended its Delegate Commission’s authority to enforce budgeting rules, noting that no club, including Barcelona, had previously challenged its legitimacy.

The decision not to register Olmo was first made by La Liga’s Budget Validation Body and subsequently confirmed by the Financial Fair Play Committee, the Social Appeals Committee, and UEFA's Second Instance Licensing Committee.

Barcelona, who took the matter to court, now face a race against time to resolve the issue. If unsuccessful, Olmo could become a free agent, with Premier League clubs reportedly monitoring the situation.

Reports from Spanish media suggest Barcelona may attempt to raise funds by selling VIP boxes at Camp Nou, a move that could generate over €100m. However, this plan would require La Liga’s approval.

Olmo, who returned to Barcelona after leaving the club’s youth academy for Dinamo Zagreb at 16, has been a key player this season. He has scored six goals in 15 appearances and was instrumental in Spain’s European Championship victory last summer.

Despite their challenges, Hansi Flick's Barcelona currently sit third in La Liga, three points behind leaders Atletico Madrid.

BeIN Sports Asia: Dani Olmo SCORES on Barcelona debut! | LaLiga 24/25 Moments