Raphinha has said that players “would probably think twice” about coming to Barcelona after Dani Olmo and Pau Victor were de-registered from their first-team squad.
On January 4, Barcelona were planning to file a complaint to the Spanish government in their final attempt to register the two players after La Liga and the Spanish Federation (RFEF) refused to alter their stance on the registrations.
Barca then filed a complaint to the Consejo Superior de Deportes (CSD), the highest sports institution subscribed to the Spanish government, after both Olmo and Victor were de-registered from their squad by La Liga.
Asked if the saga would have an impact on players signing or not signing for the club in the future, Raphinha said: “I think so, I can’t say the opposite because I would lie otherwise and I am not that kind of person.
“If I was in another club seeing the situation Olmo and Pau are going through, I would probably think twice about coming here or to another club.
“But when I signed for Barca I knew the situation the institution was going through, I saw a chance to play with this shirt and I waited until the very last moment. I don’t regret my decision.”
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On January 3, Hansi Flick told a press conference he was “unhappy” with the situation of both Olmo, 26, and Victor, 23, neither of whom he could select for the Copa del Rey tie at lower league Barbastro — the first match since their registrations had expired.
The Catalan club lost their second appeal for the precautionary registration of both players on December 30 after their initial court appeal had failed three days earlier.
Typically, La Liga grants licenses to players for the duration of their contracts but Olmo and Victor were given only temporary permits for registration until the end of December to allow the club time to prove fresh revenue streams.
Asked on Tuesday about Raphinha’s comments ahead of the Spanish Super Cup semi-final with Athletic Club on Wednesday, Flick said: “I don’t know. The only thing I can say is that I trust the club.
“When I was in this situation (of signing for Barcelona), I knew the club, how great the club is and how great the team and the people around it are.
“I love everything around Barcelona. I signed the contract and I would do that again, I have no doubts. It’s amazing to work with everyone here.”
(Rico Brouwer/Soccrates/Getty Images)
