Barcelona’s attempt to secure the provisional registration of Spain international Dani Olmo for the remainder of the season has been rejected, leaving the 26-year-old midfielder ineligible to play for the club from January 1, barring a last-minute legal breakthrough.

Olmo, a €60 million (£51 million) signing from RB Leipzig in August, was initially registered for the first half of the season under La Liga’s rules allowing clubs to temporarily register players due to long-term injuries within their squad.

However, due to Barcelona’s ongoing struggles to meet La Liga’s strict wage cap restrictions, his registration was limited to four months, a term that expires at the end of December.

La Liga’s Statement

La Liga welcomed the Commercial Court number 10 of Barcelona’s decision on Friday to reject the club’s appeal to extend Olmo’s registration.

“La Liga has today learned of the ruling… rejecting the request for the provisional registration of Dani Olmo until June 30, 2025, on the grounds that none of the necessary conditions for the adoption of an interim measure have been met,” the league said in a statement.

The league explained that the purpose of allowing temporary registrations in the case of long-term injuries is to protect a team’s competitiveness during the injury period, not to bypass financial rules.

“The purpose of allowing additional spending is so that a long-term injury does not weaken the team’s competitiveness, not to use a long-term injury to allow the registration of players whose salaries exceed the limit, which is what FC Barcelona is attempting,” the statement added.

Barcelona’s Financial Constraints

Barcelona, who remain under intense financial scrutiny, have been unable to comply with La Liga’s wage cap rules.

The club registered Olmo in the summer after injuries to key players freed up a portion of their salary cap, but that provision was always intended to be temporary.

Spanish media reports suggest that Barcelona have filed an appeal to the magistrate court, which is due to be heard on Monday, just one day before Olmo’s registration expires.

The initial decision to deny Olmo’s continued registration was unanimously upheld by La Liga’s Budget Validation Body, Financial Fair Play Committee, Social Appeals Committee, and the UEFA Second Instance Licensing Committee of the Spanish Football Federation.

Olmo’s Impact and Uncertain Future

Olmo, who returned to Barcelona after leaving the club’s La Masia academy at the age of 16, has been a key player for the Catalan side this season.

In 15 appearances, the attacking midfielder has scored six goals, underlining his importance to Xavi’s squad.

The Spain international, who also played a pivotal role in helping his national team win the European Championship this summer, now faces an uncertain future.

If Barcelona’s final appeal is unsuccessful, Olmo will be sidelined for at least the remainder of the season unless the club can find a creative solution to register him within La Liga’s financial rules.

Barcelona’s Title Challenge

The uncertainty surrounding Olmo’s availability comes at a crucial time for Barcelona, who currently sit third in La Liga, three points behind leaders Atletico Madrid.

With the club already battling injuries and financial pressures, losing a player of Olmo’s caliber could hinder their title challenge.

As the January transfer window approaches, Barcelona’s financial woes continue to cast a long shadow over their ambitions, with Dani Olmo’s situation serving as the latest reminder of the club’s ongoing challenges.

The next few days will determine whether Olmo can remain an integral part of Barcelona’s season or if the team will have to adapt to his absence.