Joan Laporta confirms Barcelona were threatened with Champions League ban | OneFootball

Over the summer, it was revealed that Barcelona had broken UEFA’s Financial Fair Play rules for the second successive season. They paid a €500k fine for the first breach in 2024, but the punishment was more severe on this occasion.

In the end, Barcelona settled on paying €15m to UEFA, but Joan Laporta has now revealed that there could have been sporting ramifications for the club. Speaking at the Ordinary General Assembly (via MD) on Sunday, he opened up on dialogue with European football’s governing body.

“UEFA wanted to punish us by not playing in the Champions League the following season. And precisely the fact that Barcelona is not a SA and cannot make capital increases was one of the arguments with which we managed to get UEFA to reduce the fines for non-compliance with financial fair play, from €60m to €15m. They also wanted to sanction us without playing in the next Champions League.”

Image via EFE

Laporta not totally convinced by USA fixture

Laporta also spoke on the USA fixture against Villarreal, which was confirmed earlier in the month. He admitted that the idea does not sit totally right with him, but the economic benefits are too good to turn down.

“We are not enthusiastic about taking our team far, but as President Gaspart said, it is necessary to obtain atypical income. Promoting our image in the markets has allowed us to have more sponsors. And we will surely take advantage of the opportunity to expand our image in the US, an increasingly important market where it also plays the next World Cup. Expanding the image generates sponsors.

“Deco and Flick are the first ones who want to preserve the good physical condition of the players, but they go to Saudi Arabia (for the Spanish Super Cup) to earn money that otherwise would not be earned. And in Miami, exactly the same. La Liga will benefit, and with it all the other teams, with extra income, but Barça and Villarreal, who are the ones who play, will benefit more.”