Fakayejo Paul
Barça refuse to pay symbolic fine on legal principleThe Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) Disciplinary Committee has officially handed FC Barcelona a symbolic €602 fine following a formal complaint filed by Atlético Madrid regarding the Catalan club’s summer pursuit of striker Julián Álvarez.
The sanction was applied under Article 133 of the RFEF General Disciplinary Code for a minor infraction relating to “failure to comply with orders, instructions, agreements, or regulatory obligations”.
The Core of the Dispute
- The Accusation: Atlético Madrid submitted complaints to both FIFA and the RFEF, alleging that Barcelona held unauthorized contact with Álvarez’s representatives without giving mandatory written prior notification to Los Colchoneros.
- Jurisdiction: After FIFA declared itself not competent to handle the internal La Liga dispute, the case fell entirely under the RFEF’s domestic jurisdiction.
- Barça’s Defense: FC Barcelona maintain they formally communicated their interest in writing to Atlético and received no response, arguing that silence should not prevent them from exploring a potential transfer.
Why Barcelona Are Appealing
While €602 represents a negligible financial penalty, Barcelona’s legal department has confirmed plans to appeal the decision to the Appeals Committee:
“Accepting or paying any fine—regardless of how minor the amount—would effectively constitute an admission of misconduct that the club firmly denies occurred.”
Julián Álvarez Situation at Atlético
- Contract Status:The 26-year-old Argentina international remains locked into a long-term deal at the Metropolitano until June 2030 with a reported €500m release clause.
- Fan Reconciliation:Following initial backlash and booing from fans over his summer comments, Álvarez scored the winning goal against Deportivo La Coruña last weekend and publicly apologized to Atlético supporters for the timing of his earlier exit statements.