Barcelona 'facing FFP breach' after losing huge CAS battle

Barcelona are at risk of breaching UEFA's Financial Fair Play rules for the 2023/24 season after losing an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) over their filings.

In their annual financial report for 2023/24, Barcelona attempted to include the €267m sale of 10% of their broadcasting rights over the next 25 years as "other operating income", which would count towards their FFP situation, but UEFA insisted it should classify as "profits on disposal of tangible assets", which is not included in FFP calculations.

Barcelona were fined €500,000 for the misreporting but club officials challenged the decision - both the fine and the refusal to accept the income as relevant - in a protest to CAS. UEFA agreed to withhold their final verdict on Barcelona's FFP compliance until a decision has been made.

CAS revealed their verdict on Friday, confirming they had rejected all Barcelona's appeals and blasting the La Liga side for even going against the advice of their own financial experts, who were the first to highlight that the income was not relevant.

Not only has the fine been upheld, but Barcelona have been accused of "grossly misrepresenting" their finances for the 2023/24 season, with the club now at major risk of a punishment for breaching FFP.

Clubs found guilty of breaching UEFA's FFP rules in the past have been hit with transfer bans, while there have also been bans from competing in European competitions for certain breaches.

The CAS ruling is significant for clubs across Europe as it warns that the sale of club assets cannot be used for FFP filings.

Chelsea came under fire earlier this year for selling two clubs hotels to a different branch of their ownership group to meet the Premier League's Profit & Sustainability Rules. Such a dealing was acceptable domestically but may not be approved in future FFP rulings.

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