It appears as if FC Barcelona is finally able to turn things around regarding its woeful financial condition. Since 2020, Barcelona’s economic condition has been in shambles. Poor sporting decisions as well as inefficient management had rendered the club almost broke. However, the club has put out its financial statement of last season recently which has left Barcelona fans overjoyed.
FC Barcelona recently stated that the club has recorded $320 million of profit after taxes for the 2022-23 season. The club further stated that the figures for last season have been higher than what was expected. Thanks to the numerous sponsorship deals club president Joan Laporta has been signing for the last few seasons, FC Barcelona‘s profits have reached an all-time high.
Is this partly through selling the media rights? Can only keep doing that for so long…
— FanHub Hatter (@FanHubHatter) September 28, 2023
The club revealed how it has received a record $211 million from sponsorships and around $105 million from Barca stores. Moreover, the club’s Barça Licensing & Merchandising (BLM) also recorded a 54% increase in stores from physical stores. However, some fans feel that Barca can’t continue to make profits in the coming years. One fan even wrote, “Is this partly through selling the media rights? Can only keep doing that for so long.“
Despite the negative reaction, FC Barcelona is gradually but steadily achieving its long-lost financial stability. While the club has continued to grab star players like Joao Felix, Joao Cancelo, and Ilkay Gundogan this season, they have also remarkably reduced their wage bill, which was the issue that forced Lionel Messi out of the club. Since last season, the Catalan club has managed to reduce $170.8 million from its inflated wage bill.
FC Barcelona face Champions League ban
Meanwhile, FC Barcelona is facing a potential Champions League ban after being charged with corruption and bribery. Back in March this year, Barcelona was accused of paying $7.9 million to the former vice president of the Technical Committee of Referees, Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira. Despite Barcelona denying the allegations, the club has been recently charged with bribery.
🚨🚨🌕| The judge of the Negreira case has charged FC Barcelona with ‘possible corruption’ & ‘possible bribery’ to ‘alter the refereeing decisions’, in accusation of the payments made to Negreira. @La_SER pic.twitter.com/gSnhUowerA
— Managing Barça (@ManagingBarca) September 28, 2023
If FC Barcelona stands to be guilty, they will be banned from the Champions League. Before the start of the 2023-24 season, UEFA had provisionally allowed Barca to compete in the Champions League but hadn’t exempted the possibility of them facing a ban later.
While Barca has already won its opening fixture of the Champions League this season, the club might be eliminated this season and for at least the coming year if they are found guilty.
