Barcelona risk Champions League punishment after breaching FFP rules

Barcelona had a productive campaign in the 2024-25 Champions League, reaching the semi-finals before being defeated across two legs by Inter. But a similar run in next season’s competition may be tougher to achieve after recent developments in regards to the club’s well-documented financial woes.

It is no secret that Barcelona have been struggling financially, and until now, their efforts to improve the situation have not been enough. They only just managed to register Dani Olmo and Pau Victor for the second half of last season due to registration problems that stemmed from their money woes, and they are about to be affected in the Champions League too.

Barcelona breach UEFA’s financial rules for second time

As reported by The Times (via Marca), Barcelona have breached UEFA’s Financial Fair Play rules for the second successive year. The club were ordered to pay €500k for their first offence in 2024, but this latest one will bring a harsher punishment, which is more likely to affect the sporting side of things.

UEFA are expected to release details on the matter in the coming weeks, But according to the report, Premier League clubs Chelsea and Aston Villa are also in breach of the European football’s governing body FFP rules, but given that it is only a first offence for both clubs, their punishment will not be as severe of Barcelona’s.

While it is not yet known what punishment Barcelona could face, it is reported that they could have a reduced squad for next season’s Champions League – meaning that Hansi Flick would not be able to count on 25 players, but rather, a lower number. Another possibility is a points deduction that could see the Catalans start the league phase with a negative tally.