Posted April 2, 201410 yr http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/barcelona-given-ban-on-transfers-for-the-next-two-windows-after-breaching-transfer-and-registration-rules-9232486.html Wow, wasn't expecting this. For once a tough stance has been taken against Barca
April 2, 201410 yr I must admit, waking up to this has made me smile I had this feeling it was going to be brushed under the carpet, i'm glad it has been taken so seriously.
April 2, 201410 yr Surely it'll be reduced on appeal? Edit: Maybe it's a late April Fools - we'll be back to arguing about 'Luiz to Barca for €40m?' in no time... Edited April 2, 201410 yr by PloKoon13
April 2, 201410 yr Surely it'll be reduced on appeal? If they don't have any grounds to appeal then i don't see how it can be. I think this is a fair enough punishment. I think Barcelona should just accept it because it could have been a lot worse.
April 2, 201410 yr "Spanish champions Barcelona have been given a 14-month transfer ban by Fifa for breaking rules on signing international players under 18" So is this to do with tapping up of youth players? Only yesterday I was reading that they have signed Alen Halilovic a much coveted youth player from Dinamo Zagreb, do we know if it is linked to this somehow? You can only imagine that Barca will try to get this reduced or overturned. Isn't Valdes due to leave at the end of the season?
April 2, 201410 yr I seem to remember that we had a ban imposed over the Kakuta deal. That was subsequently overturned. The problem is that I don"t actually know what they are supposed to have done wrong. They can't be the only club that has signed under 18 players from abroad.
April 2, 201410 yr "Spanish champions Barcelona have been given a 14-month transfer ban by Fifa for breaking rules on signing international players under 18" So is this to do with tapping up of youth players? Only yesterday I was reading that they have signed Alen Halilovic a much coveted youth player from Dinamo Zagreb, do we know if it is linked to this somehow? You can only imagine that Barca will try to get this reduced or overturned. Isn't Valdes due to leave at the end of the season? So it isn't to do with the Neymar thing then. I would laugh now if they got another ban on top of this one
April 2, 201410 yr I seem to remember that we had a ban imposed over the Kakuta deal. That was subsequently overturned. Because we proved the allegation false. This would appear to be multiple offenses, not just the one. Time will tell though.
April 2, 201410 yr I must admit my first reaction was that it will be reduced or overturned. Yup, mine too.
April 2, 201410 yr So it isn't to do with the Neymar thing then. I would laugh now if they got another ban on top of this one The Neymar thing (so far) has been handled by the Spanish courts... Whether FIFA/UEFA will step in and get involved with that one at some point I don't know. As far as I can tell that was about them hiding how much they had actually paid for him, whether that breaks any footballing rules or not I don't know. One thing is for sure though, the media can stop bleating on about Barca being the holy grail of how a football club should be run. There's been rumblings for years now about their underhand dealings but they've long been painted the footballing darlings whilst the likes of ourselves, Madrid and City are the embodiment of evil in the world of football.
April 2, 201410 yr Bit more info, the charges relate to the transfer of 10 minors to Barca. Fifa only allows international youth transfers when one of three situations apply: the player's parents have moved country for their own, non-related reasons; the move takes place within the European Union if a player is aged between 16 and 18; or the player's home is less than 50 kilometres from the national border being crossed. The FIFA issued statement: "FC Barcelona has been found to be in breach of article 19 of the regulations in the case of 10 minor players and to have committed several other concurrent infringements in the context of other players. "The disciplinary committee regarded the infringements as serious and decided to sanction the club with a transfer ban at both national and international level for two complete and consecutive transfer periods, together with a fine of 450,000 Swiss francs. "Additionally, the club was granted a period of 90 days in which to regularise the situation of all minor players concerned." "The disciplinary committee emphasised that the protection of minors in the context of international transfers is an important social and legal issue that concerns all stakeholders in football. "The committee highlighted that while international transfers might, in specific cases, be favourable to a young player's sporting career, they are very likely to be contrary to the best interests of the player as a minor. "Young football players are vulnerable to exploitation and abuse in a foreign country without the proper controls. This particular fact makes the protection of minors in football by the sport's governing bodies, especially by Fifa, even more important."
April 2, 201410 yr Balague is saying that the ban is for the January and Summer 2015 windows, and Barcelona plan to appeal.
April 2, 201410 yr Balague is saying that the ban is for the January and Summer 2015 windows, and Barcelona plan to appeal. Why is it not with immediate effect?
April 2, 201410 yr Why is it not with immediate effect? I'm not entirely sure, maybe to allow them time to appeal? It is very close to the summer transfer window, it might also be so not to disrupt any potential transfers they might already have in place, I know there has been a lot of talk about the Marc-André ter Stegen signing being a done deal.
April 2, 201410 yr Well you can only buy during the transfer windows so it is effectively from now isn't it? Why is it not with immediate effect?
April 2, 201410 yr Author The ban should surely be issued with immediate effect. With Puyol and Valdes leaving Barca would have to play the whole of next season with Pinto in goal and Bartra/Mascherano/Pique as CBs edit: by 'immediate effect' I mean this summers transfer window and January 2015's transfer window Edited April 2, 201410 yr by londonblue
