MADRID: Barcelona’s summer asset sale allowed them to lift their salary cap from minus 144.3 million euros ($144.8 million) in March to a positive balance of 656.4 million by September, La Liga reported Friday.
The Spanish league made public the salary limits available to teams after the summer transfer window.
The figures reveal the complete transformation of Barcelona’s finances and the huge divide between the richest clubs and the rest.
Barcelona spent some 153 million euros on transfer fees alone as they splurged on a platoon of stars including Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and Jules Kounde and free agents Andreas Christensen and Franck Kessie, but took in far more by selling future rights.
The club sold 25 percent of their domestic television rights for the next quarter of a century to US investment firm Sixth Street for around 400 million euros and just under 50 percent of Barca Studios, which manages the club’s digital business and audiovisual productions, to two investors for 200 million euros.
La Liga updates the salary cap, based on the difference between revenue and costs, several times each season.
The cap specifies the amount clubs can spend on players, head coach, assistant coach and the first-team fitness coach as well as subsidiaries and youth academies.
Real Madrid continue to lead with a cap of 683.4 million euros, down from 739 million euros last March.
Barcelona are now just behind. There is a significant gap to Atletico Madrid, who are third, on 341 million euros with Sevilla next on almost 200 million euros. Eight clubs have caps of 52 million euros or less.
Real Madrid’s salary cap is bigger than the total for the 12 clubs with the smallest caps added together.
Barcelona transform finances despite spree, Liga figures show
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Barcelona transform finances despite spree, Liga figures show
- The Spanish league made public the salary limits available to teams after the summer transfer window
- The club sold 25 percent of their domestic television rights for the next quarter of a century
Guardiola hails Man City’s ‘massive’ win over Newcastle
- Guardiola’s second-placed side closed the gap on leaders Arsenal to just two points with their tense victory at the Etihad Stadium
MANCHESTER, United Kingdom: Pep Guardiola labelled Manchester City’s 2-1 win over Newcastle on Saturday as a “massive” moment in the Premier League title race.
Guardiola’s second-placed side closed the gap on leaders Arsenal to just two points with their tense victory at the Etihad Stadium.
Nico O’Reilly put City ahead in the first half and restored the lead before half-time after Lewis Hall had equalized.
City weren’t at their best in the second half, but they held on to pile pressure on spluttering Arsenal, who travel to Tottenham for the north London derby on Sunday.
Guardiola knew it was essential to make Arsenal sweat.
“Massive. Newcastle is an incredible team, awesome in physicality and speed they have up front. Physicality in the middle. Really tough but the team was unbelievable,” he said.
“It’s coming in best part of the season. Every single game will be similar to today.”
After finishing without a trophy last season, City are back in the hunt for the seventh English title of Guardiola’s reign.
They will have a game in hand on Arsenal after this weekend and are guaranteed to win the title if they win their last 11 league matches.
Guardiola has embarked on an expensive overhaul of City’s squad in the last 12 months, shedding aging stars like Kevin De Bruyne, Ederson and Kyle Walker and bringing in the likes of Marc Guehi, Antoine Semenyo and Rayan Cherki.
The Spaniard is well aware that his new generation largely lacks the experience of winning under the pressure of a title race, which made their gritty success against Newcastle even more meaningful.
“70 percent of the players have never been in that situation, and I don’t play. So we have to live it, they know that every game will be like this,” he said.
“Especially at home, with five home games left. Today was the best crowd of the year, it was unbelievable with our people, really proud to be manager of these incredible people and fans.
“Of course in terms of points it’s important, but we have to improve to have chance to compete until the end. Now we deserve three more days off. Then another battle in Leeds.”
Guardiola singled out O’Reilly for praise after the young England midfielder’s pair of clinical finishes showed he won’t be affected by the strain of chasing Arsenal.
“Nico give us in the middle that physicality that we need. He now plays in his position,” he said.
“He has always played that, he is so complete and so young. I am really pleased the academy produced these incredible players, Nico, Phil (Foden), Rico (Lewis).”
