Barcelona Women’s team is in crisis due to financial constraints and player departures, threatening their dominance in women’s football. Restricted by La Liga’s financial fair play rules, they’ve struggled in the transfer market, losing key players and failing to adequately replenish the squad, jeopardizing their future success.
The landscape has dramatically shifted for Barcelona's women's team. Once the envy of the footballing world, attracting talent with their five consecutive Champions League finals appearances, stylish play, and status as leaders in women's football, the club now faces unprecedented challenges. The allure of Barcelona, a city synonymous with footballing excellence and home to Ballon d'Or winners, is dimming as financial constraints and player departures cast a shadow over their future.
A decade after turning professional, the three-time European champions find themselves grappling with La Liga's stringent financial fair play regulations. These rules, designed to ensure the financial stability of clubs, have had a crippling effect on Barcelona's ability to compete in the transfer market. The consequences have been stark: a mass exodus of talent and a struggle to replenish the squad. The glory days may be over for the Catalan side.
This past summer transfer window can only be described as calamitous. Six players have departed the club, all seeking opportunities in the burgeoning Women's Super League in England. Midfielder Alba Caño is also set to leave for the NWSL in January, further depleting the squad's depth. In stark contrast, Barcelona managed to secure only one signing: Laia Aleixandri, arriving on a free transfer from Manchester City. This dearth of recruitment has left the team dangerously short of players, raising concerns about their ability to compete on multiple fronts.
It is important to note that the La Liga's salary limit applies to the entire club, and not just the men’s first team, a fact that has far-reaching implications. Barcelona is not solely a football club; it encompasses various professional teams across different sports, including basketball, handball, futsal, roller hockey, and the Barça academies. All are feeling the pinch of the club's financial crisis, which primarily stems from the men’s football side's financial mismanagement. The ripple effect of this crisis has left the women's team particularly vulnerable, hindering their ability to attract and retain top talent.
Xavi O’Callaghan, director of professional sports at Barcelona, expressed his frustration with the current regulations. "It would be better for everyone if each sport had its own regulations," he argued. "Having the professional football league control everything else, it doesn’t make much sense. But we have to play with these rules even if they aren’t the fairest." His comments highlight the growing sentiment that the current system unfairly penalizes clubs with diverse sporting interests.
The women's football team operates with a salary pool of €13.75m (£11.9m), a figure that must adhere to La Liga’s overall salary limit. The departure of the six players was a calculated move, aimed at remaining within the financial constraints and maintaining equilibrium between the women’s team and the rest of the club's sporting endeavors. However, this strategy has come at a significant cost: the loss of key personnel and a weakened squad.
Despite the challenges, O’Callaghan remains optimistic about the future. "The women’s team has increased its salary by €1m [to €14.75m for the 2025-26 season]; the money is there but the market is inflated," he explained. "To retain key players we have to spend more [on them] and rely more on the youth system." This indicates a shift in strategy, with the club placing greater emphasis on developing homegrown talent to supplement their squad.
The departure of younger players is a cause for concern. Caño, at 21, turned down a new contract to join Boston Legacy FC. Lucía Corrales, 19, followed suit, signing for London City Lionesses for a reported €450,000. Judit Pujols, 20, has moved to Wolfsburg, while 19-year-old Emilia Szymczak is on loan at Liverpool and Giulia Dragoni (18) is at Roma. The fact that some of Europe's biggest teams are swooping in for Barcelona's youngsters does not augur well for the future.
The exits of experienced players like Ingrid Engen, Jana Fernández, and Fridolina Rolfö have also raised concerns, particularly the latter's. The Sweden international joined Manchester United in August. What’s more, Barcelona did not receive a transfer fee for the 31-year-old and, with one year remaining on her contract, were forced to pay to terminate her deal early. It was a move that demonstrated the Catalan club's desperation to trim its wage bill.
When Marc Vives, the women’s team's sporting director, was questioned about Rolfö’s departure, he stated that it was, in part, a financial decision. "We considered her performances and found that they were not optimal," he said. "And we decided that it was better for her to leave in order for us to help this balance between the salary limit and the sporting aspect." His comments underscored the difficult choices the club has been forced to make.
Barcelona may still possess the attacking prowess to secure another domestic treble. But, with a depleted squad of just 17 senior players listed on their website, their chances of winning another Champions League title appear slim. The lack of squad depth means that even a single injury could derail their entire season. With few players to call on, they may have to put their trust in youth.
Several positions are notably lacking in backup. Ewa Pajor, for example, is currently the only central striker in the squad. Ona Batlle and Esmee Brugts are the only two recognised full-backs who are internationals. And the third in the pecking order is the 18-year-old Aïcha Cámara, who only made her first-team debut in the Copa Catalunya in February. It's a sign that Barcelona's golden era is coming to an end.
These issues could potentially be addressed during the January transfer window, but with the financial situation of the entire club uncertain, this remains far from certain. Another major concern is that the contracts of as many as nine players are set to expire next summer, including Mapi León, Clàudia Pina, Batlle, Caroline Graham Hansen, Salma Paralluelo, and Cata Coll. The following summer, Alexia Putellas’s contract also comes to an end. With key players running down their contracts, this is the definition of a crisis.
These are challenging times for the Spanish champions, and their position as leaders in women’s football can no longer be taken for granted. Unless there is significant investment, Barcelona's women's team will no longer be able to compete with Europe's elite.