The departure of Griezmann documents the dilemma of FC Barcelona
Stand: 11:20 a.m.
Antoine Griezmann has turned his back on FC Barcelona and will play for Atlético Madrid again in the future
What: AP
After Lionel Messi, the club also lost exceptional striker Antoine Griezmann and two other professionals on the last day of the transfer. It is now more than questionable whether FC Barcelona will continue to be part of the European top floor.
IA certain hectic pace was noticeable in the final spurt. With the burden of more than a billion euros in debt, FC Barcelona had to record spectacular departures in the sales of the transfer period. For the still very proud club from Catalonia, this represents a completely new experience that threatens to torpedo the team’s still lofty goals early in the season.
After all, it’s not just someone who left Barça just before the end of the transfer window. After Lionel Messi, who did not want to extend his contract with FC, his congenial strike partner ended his employment relationship with the club: Antoine Griezmann is returning to Atlético Madrid.
Broken dream duo: Antoine Griezmann (left) and Lionel Messi, who joined Paris Saint-Germain
Quelle: picture alliance / NurPhoto
Two years ago, the Catalans let the French attacker cost 120 million euros, now they only receive a loan fee and at least save the princely salary of an estimated 25 million euros per annum.
Griezmann and a few other last-minute players show in a dramatic way the whole dilemma of the club, which suffers from management errors of the past and may first have to say goodbye to the concert of top international clubs.
“We have no salary margin”
In addition to Messi and Griezmann, Barça gave Emerson Royal to Tottenham Hotspur for 25 million euros and Ilaix Moriba to RB Leipzig for 16 million euros on the last day before the closing window. This is beneficial for the balance sheet, but the bloodletting is immense.
Only for the third time in the past 15 years has Barcelona, which has not had any notable additions apart from the two free transfer attackers Memphis Depay and Sergio Agüero, achieved a plus on the transfer market: Expenses of 14.5 million were income on Wednesday morning of 69.8 million euros.
Has to live with the heavy legacy of failed financial policies of his predecessors: President Joan Laporta
What: REUTERS
“Labor costs make up 110 percent of the association’s income. We have no salary margin, ”said club president Joan Laporta three weeks ago after the failed negotiations with Messi. The club’s financial metrics were even worse than those that were communicated to him and his colleagues in the spring of the official proceedings. This legacy was “catastrophic”. “The expected losses are very high, the expected debt is high,” said Laporta.
Now the boss and his family have to deal with the grievance. Where Barcelona currently stands will be shown on September 14th: Then the club will meet FC Bayern at the start of the group stage in the Champions League.
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