Barcelona fined over £700,000 for breaching Fair Play rules with Alves, Christensen and Araujo transfers
BARCELONA have reportedly been slapped with an €800,000 (£704,000) fine for breaching Financial Fair Play rules.
The three alleged sanctions regard exceeding salary limits for the free signings of Dani Alves and Andreas Christensen, plus Ronald Araujo’s contract extension.
They are all in regards to the 2021-22 season, according to Catalan newspaper ARA.
ARA say Barca have appealed all three of the alleged breaches before the RFEF UEFA license second instance committee.
Alves returned to Barcelona in November 2021 before leaving the following June, while Christensen arrived on a free transfer from Chelsea in July 2022.
However, despite Christensen not being registered until the new campaign, it’s said his case refers to 2021-22 as the deal had been agreed before the start of the new season.
Araujo meanwhile signed a contract extension last April with a €1billion (£882million) release clause.
Barca also spent over £130m in the summer on the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, and Jules Kounde.
The cash-strapped Catalans were forced to sell off domestic TV rights and their in-house media studio in order to fund transfers and register new players.
But it’s claimed they broke FFP rules by exceeding salary limits in the instances of Alves, Christensen and Araujo, and as a result have allegedly been fined over £700,000.
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Club legend Gerard Pique retired mid-contract earlier this season, saving Barca millions in the process.
It was also claimed Barcelona were open to selling Frenkie de Jong in the summer to alleviate their economic strain.
The midfielder was heavily linked with a move to Manchester United.
However, recent reports claim the club now consider him “indispensable”, despite suggestions he is now open to a move to Old Trafford.