Financial problems could derail Barcelona and coach Xavi Hernandez’s preparations for the new season.
The news that coach Xavi was asked by the Barca leadership to spend money to increase the salary of the assistant team shocked many people. Mundo Deportivo revealed that before entering the preparation phase for the 2023/24 season, coach Xavi asked Barca’s leadership to increase salaries for assistants. The answer from the Camp Nou team is that Xavi should use his salary increase after the 2022/23 season to pay for the assistant team.
The above information needs to be verified, but it may reflect the difficult financial situation of Barca at the moment.
In the middle of this month, Barcelona’s vice president of economic affairs, Eduard Romeo, revealed the club was still saddled with a huge amount of debt. All efforts to restructure Barca’s debts in the past time failed.
The defending champion Spain has short-term debt of up to 1.35 billion euros ($1.48 billion), not including 1.5 billion euros ($1.64 billion) in loans for the Espai Barca project. related to the renovation of the Camp Nou stadium.
Mr. Romeo analyzed that club revenues derived from success on the pitch like last season’s La Liga title won’t help much. In addition, Barca’s early elimination in the 2022/23 Champions League also prevented the club from significantly increasing television rights or bonuses. The Camp Nou team was forced to offer immediate solutions to avoid the risk of default, or to liquidate assets to secure.
In particular, the reduction of the salary fund is considered by the Barca leadership as a solution that has an immediate impact on the financial foundation of the club. However, to ask famous players to reduce their income by millions of euros a year to share difficulties with the club is not easy. Barca leadership understands that since last season.
Therefore, the salary reduction of other employees at the club was conducted. In May, more than 150 employees working at Barca TV channel were laid off. For the first time in 24 years, Barca no longer operates its own TV channel. 70% of the other office workers working at the club also had their salaries cut or terminated ahead of time.
This move shows that the information that the Barca leadership does not want to raise the salary of coach Xavi ‘s assistants is completely grounded. The ambition of the Barca leadership is to cut at least 30% of the salary fund of the entire club, including staff, coaches and players before the 2023/24 season begins.
Xavi’s difficult situation
Clement Lenglet, Samuel Umtiti, Sergino Dest, Alex Collado and Gustavo Maia are all considered “leftovers” in coach Xavi’s plans for next season, but they certainly do not leave easily. Barca also wants to sell Ferran Torres, Raphinha, Ansu Fati or Franck Kessie to have more budget to recruit rookies. However, these stars are enjoying a high salary at Barca and only move if they receive a really generous offer.
The Barca head coach is said to be frustrated with the financial situation of the club. The Catalan team has just announced the recruitment of Ilkay Gundogan from Man City on a free basis , but the Turkish-born midfielder cannot solve all the problems in the game.
Xavi needs more centre-backs, defenders and a top winger to upgrade the squad. However, the signals returned in the transfer market show that Barca has not come close to any feasible target.
Also in this mid-month interview, Vice President of Economic Affairs Romeo promised that the club would resolve the financial situation as soon as possible, so that coach Xavi would receive the best support in the transfer market. . Mr. Romeo revealed that Barca is willing to rent out the Camp Nou to organize other activities such as weddings and concerts to collect difficult money. Of course, all of this is still just a promise.
Xavi will have to deal with existing people and shop smart if he wants to help Barca compete with Real Madrid. It should be remembered that “Los Blancos” has just spent more than 100 million euros to buy Jude Bellingham and may add Kylian Mbappe in the near future.