Barca coach Flick optimistic but ‘not happy’ over Olmo situation

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said Friday he was unhappy about potentially losing key midfielder Dani Olmo because of the club’s dire financial state, but optimistic the situation would be resolved successfully.

The Catalan giants said Tuesday they had asked the Spanish football federation to grant Spanish international Olmo a new license to play, after his initial registration expired on December 31, 2024 and Barcelona exhausted legal avenues to extend it.

Barcelona signed Olmo for around 60 million euros ($62 million) in the summer and according to Spanish media his contract includes a clause which would allow him to be released if he is not registered.

The Spanish top flight’s strict financial rules limit indebted Barcelona’s spending and they were initially only able to register Olmo after defender Andreas Christensen was injured in August.

Along with Olmo, striker Pau Victor is in a similar position.

“If I am honest, I was not happy about the situation, and the players are not happy about the situation,” Flick told a news conference Friday.

“But it is like it is and we have to accept it, we are professional, we have to play football. I have to coach and the club has to do their job.

“The confidence (in the club) is there, I am always positive about things, but we have to wait for the decision.”

Barcelona visit Barbastro in the Copa del Rey round of 32 on Saturday with Olmo and Victor currently unavailable.

“My job is to prepare the team for the cup,” continued Flick.

“I was in contact before Christmas with the president and I spoke today with the president.

“I have the confidence with the club that they do their job and I do my job.”

An important figure in Spain’s Euro 2024 victory, Olmo, 26, has impressed since his move from Leipzig, scoring five league goals.

La Liga said Tuesday “Barcelona has presented no alternative” complying with the league’s spending rules that would allow them to register players.

Losing Olmo would be a blow to the third-place Blaugrana’s bid for silverware this year and another embarrassing mistake after years of financial mismanagement.