Barcelona have been forced to not renew two youth team players at the risk of breaching FIFA rules on young footballers.
Sport reports Venezuelan Matias Lacaza and Dutchman Fode Fofana were due to be part of Barca’s Infantil A side this season.
Barca have not renewed their contracts, however, as doing so would have seem the club fall foul on rules regarding players under 18 moving abroad.
The Catalans are currently operating under a transfer embargo for a similar offence, the suspension not lifted until January 2016.
Lacaza and Fofana are not themselves banned from playing but they can’t be registered by La Blaugrana.
Mundo Deportivo added that Lacaza and Fofana have been in Spain for 10 years and were not brought to the country by Barca, so don’t come into the same category as the players for which Barca were banned.
“Barcelona wish to inform that the club has decided in a preventative measure, not to renew the licences of some players training with the club, so they cannot be interpreted as non-compliance with FIFA,” a Barca statement began.
“Barcelona, in co-ordination with FIFA, are currently in the process of regularising the documents of the players that led to the penalty.
“In the same vein, and in view of possible interpretations of the applicable FIFA rules, the club will act at all times to avoid any situation possibly liable to breach such legislation.
“To this end, Barcelona have taken the measures it deems appropriate.”
