Barcelona to sue La Liga over salary restrictions
By Tom Gott
Barcelona are pursuing legal action against La Liga after they were blocked from increasing their salary cap by 15%.
La Liga allowed the 38 clubs that agreed to their CVC deal - a €2.1m agreement that offered funding to the league and teams in exchange for a stake in Spain's broadcasting and sponsorship rights - to increase their maximum salary limit to 15%.
Per the rules, 70% of the funding provided to those 38 clubs must be invested in their infrastructure, with 15% used to pay off debts and the remaining 15% put towards increasing their salary caps.
Barcelona, however, declined to sign the CVC agreement alongside Real Madrid, Athletic Club and Ibiza, and those four sides have been prevented from expanding their wage allowances as a result.
With Barcelona already over their salary limit for the 2023/24 season, such a boost would have been massive to the Camp Nou outfit, and EFE state Joan Laporta and the rest of the Barcelona board have lodged a legal complaint against La Liga as a result of the action.
Barcelona have argued they are no longer competing on an even playing field against the teams who are allowed to expand their wages, and have asked a Catalan court to review whether La Liga's actions are legal or not.
As noted by Marca, La Liga are not concerned by Barcelona's latest action as the Blaugrana have already failed with an appeal to the Spanish Football Federation, who dismissed their plea.
League officials have also argued that Barcelona's infamous 'levers' - selling off shares of their own broadcasting and merchandising rights - led to player signings which increased the cost of their squad by almost 100% already, so any further 15% granted would only add to the 'unfair' nature of their business.