La Liga have put out a statement clarifying their position on the so-called economic lever deals that Barcelona did last summer.
The statement, emitted late Sunday night, was regarding Barcelona’s deal to sell 49.5% of Barca Studios last summer to the tune of €200m. The deal was done with Socios and Orpheus Media, but Barcelona are yet to receive all of that money. Head of Orpheus Media Jaume Roures claims he met the terms of the contract ‘scrupulously’, as per MD, but either way, Barcelona only received €20m from it.
Last June, Barcelona did not make the €60m payment due from the original deal, meaning only the €20m bank guarantee put up by President Joan Laporta and Treasurer Ferran Olive. Thus Barcelona are short €60m from where they though they would be.
In 2024, and 2025, Barcelona are again due €60m in both summers, payments that are crucial to their salary limit for those seasons. Currently, they have only received €40m from the sale of Barca Studios last year.
The Blaugrana resold 29.5% of Barca Studios for €120m this summer, to Libero and NIPA, but again have only received €20m of the €60m they were initially due in the first payment.
La Liga say that they accepted the initial deal along the terms and numbers that Barcelona published, but once they were able to verify that only part of the payments had been made, they reduced Barcelona’s salary limit and ultimately, capacity to register players.
They say that Barcelona’s salary limit continues to be reduced at this point in time, until they receive further payments for the deal.
For Laporta and Barcelona, ultimately the deal paid off as they were able to win La Liga last season with the signings made from the levers, which also includes the sale of 25% of their TV rights for 25 years. However with their business partners failing or not being required to pay the money on schedule, and Barcelona desperate for finance, they find themselves in a position of weakness, and their business in January is somewhat at the mercy of their investors.
Image via LLUIS GENE / AFP
