Why Barcelona are likely to avoid Champions League ban
Barcelona are set to be granted a reprieve from the threat of a Champions League ban for next season following a meeting between club president Joan Laporta and UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin in Slovenia.
The meeting was arranged to discuss an ongoing investigation into the Negreira scandal after UEFA opened a case separate from the legal proceedings in Spain - Barcelona have been charged with corruption by prosecutors.
UEFA had been expected to impose sanctions on Barcelona if they were found guilty of attempting to influence games either by way of influencing match officials or determining their appointments. The most severe penalty speculated was a ban from the Champions League.
However, Sport report that the meeting went well, and Laporta managed to persuade Ceferin to wait until the legal process in Spain is completed before taking any action.
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Although Ceferin did not commit to any course of action, Laporta left the meeting feeling confident about the situation and any punishment is likely to be imposed from the start of next season instead..
Barcelona are currently facing financial difficulties, with problems relating to their salary limit and growing debt. The reprieve would guarantee their financial future for next season, a crucial step for the team.
La Liga president Javier Tebas has already warned that Barça need to take strict financial measures if they are to bring Lionel Messi back to the club on a free transfer.
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On this edition of 90min's Definitive European Power Rankings, part of the 90min podcast network, Sean Walsh and Jack Gallagher discuss the top 10 teams from across the continent after a busy week of Champions League quarter-finals. If you can't see this embed, click here to listen to the podcast!