The president of Athletic Club, Jon Uriarte, along with the club’s CEO, Jon Berasategi, have officially communicated with both the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and La Liga authorities to raise formal concerns regarding FC Barcelona’s financial practices.
Specifically, the leadership at Athletic Club suspects that Barcelona may not be adhering to the strict financial regulations imposed by La Liga — particularly the 1:1 spending rule, which mandates that clubs cannot spend more than they earn. This rule was introduced to ensure financial sustainability and prevent clubs from overspending beyond their means.
Uriarte and Berasategi are arguing that under Barcelona’s current financial conditions, the Catalan club should not be permitted to proceed with high-profile transfers — including the pursuit of Athletic Club’s own rising star, Nico Williams. In their view, any attempt by Barça to trigger the player’s release clause or negotiate a deal would violate the league’s financial fair play constraints unless Barça first balances its books accordingly.
In response to growing rumors of Barcelona’s interest in Nico Williams, Athletic Club is not merely watching from the sidelines. They are prepared to engage in a legal and regulatory battle if necessary, leveraging every avenue to safeguard their prized player and ensure the financial rules are applied equally to all clubs — including the biggest.
This situation signals the potential for a tense showdown between Athletic Club and FC Barcelona, not just on the pitch, but in boardrooms and legal offices as well
