For the last five or so years, Barcelona Women have been the darlings of Europe. Following in the footsteps of one of the best teams the world has ever seen, they remain a dominant force in Spanish domestic football and the Women’s Champions League.
But they are being hamstrung by their own club, and it could begin to impact their incredible successes. Heading into the new season they have just 17 first-team players – a few short of a full matchday squad.
For some time now, Barcelona overall have been in turmoil. There have been delays in the opening of the newly-renovated Nou Camp and the men’s team have struggled to register players within LaLiga’s financial rules to name just a few.
In Spain, every part of clubs are inextricably linked – men’s, women’s, youth and beyond. At Barcelona, that includes not only the playing philosophy, the ‘mes que un club’ mentality, but also their finances.
And that means that the struggle of the men’s side has a ripple effect across the club. The women’s team are being penalised for issues that have little to do with them directly, but the effects remain the same.
Xavier Vilajoana is a former director of Barcelona, who helped set up, develop and run the women’s team during his time at the club.
He explained: “Unlike in England or the US, here everything goes into the same financial pot. Under Spanish league rules, Financial Fair Play [FFP] looks at the spending of the entire club as one.
“The idea is to keep oversight simple, avoid loopholes, and ensure stability across all sections. Barcelona have asked for a change, but for now, LaLiga insists that men’s, women’s, and youth teams remain financially linked.
“That means if the men’s side overspends on contracts or transfers, everyone else pays the price. The women’s team, the academy, and even futsal then have to cut back, whether they were responsible or not. Facilities, medical staff, and infrastructure are also shared, so investment cuts in one area affects everyone.
Barcelona lost the Women’s Champions League final to Arsenal in May
“What’s worse, instead of being treated like valuable parts of the club, Barca Women and La Masia have too often been treated as a quick fix for those financial mistakes, which is not how you build a sustainable future.
“Barcelona management needs a long-term vision that treats every part of the club with respect. When I was at Barca, I saw how much talent and potential we risk losing when leadership fails.”
What is perhaps even more surprising about the situation is in the Deloitte Football Money League 2025 report, Barcelona had the highest revenue of any women’s team in Europe. They generated almost €18m (£15.6m) last season, more than Arsenal, Chelsea and Real Madrid.
“Instead of being treated like valuable parts of the club, Barca Women and La Masia have too often been treated as a quick fix for those financial mistakes, which is not how you build a sustainable future. Barcelona management needs a long-term vision that treats every part of the club with respect.
Former Barcelona director Xavier Vilajoana
Vilajoana added: “It shows the strength of the brand, the commercial pull and the extraordinary success on the pitch.
“However, the reality inside the club is very different. Despite leading the continent in revenue, the women’s team is being squeezed financially because of the wider mismanagement of the club’s accounts.
“Their budget has been cut back, and now the women’s section needs around €1m (£867,350) just to avoid running a deficit, which is why we’ve already seen high-profile departures over the summer.
“The irony is that women’s football is still growing at an incredible pace. The last Euros showed us just how much interest and how much commercial power this game is bringing. Barca, with its talent and success, should be the benchmark for that growth. Instead of being cut back, they should be expanding with the market.”
‘Having 17 players is shocking for fans’
Pere Romeu took over as Barcelona manager last summer, winning the Liga F title in his first season
This summer alone, 17 players have left the club – some on loan – with Laia Aleixandri the only new permanent incoming on a free transfer from Manchester City. Based on their current roster, that is an entire squad of players.
The likes of Jana Fernandez and Lucia Corrales joined the London City Lionesses while Fridolina Rolfo signed for Manchester United after her contract was terminated. Ingrid Engen has moved to European rivals OL Lyonnes.
Lucy Bronze and Keira Walsh have both left for Chelsea over the last 12 months, while Mariona Caldentey joined Arsenal last summer.
Vilajoana said: “Financially, the departures give the club some short-term relief by lowering the wage bill, but they’ve left the squad thinner than we’ve seen in years.
“To see a team like Barca competing with just 17 players is shocking for fans.
“As for morale, I can’t speak for the players directly, but it’s clear this must be a difficult period. The sudden departures of players like Rolfo and Fernandez over the summer came as a real shock to many, and after so many of the team also endured the disappointment of falling short at the Euros this summer, I’m sure it has tested them.
“I am also sure the same is true for the men’s team. The challenges facing the club impact everyone.
“But this didn’t start yesterday. The leadership’s habit of improvising instead of planning led the club into a spiral, and, little by little, were forced to sell to cover mistakes.
“What makes it more visible now is LaLiga’s financial rules around wage and registration caps, so every summer fans see important players leaving, not as a football decision, but as a financial necessity.
“The women’s team, which used to be insulated from these pressures, is now seeing departures and wage adjustments. Clubs like Real Madrid or Bayern Munich rarely need to sell key players just to balance the books.
“Even Juventus, who have faced financial penalties for breaches of Financial Fair Play, hasn’t relied on player sales in the same crisis-driven way we’re seeing at Barca.”
This didn’t start yesterday. The leadership’s habit of improvising instead of planning led the club into a spiral, and, little by little, were forced to sell to cover mistakes… every summer fans see important players leaving, not as a football decision, but as a financial necessity.
Former Barcelona director Xavier Vilajoana
That’s not to say Barcelona do not have talent still within their ranks. They still boast 17 world-class players, Ballon d’Or and World Cup winners, some Euros finalists just a few weeks ago.
But with the club a few players shy of a matchday squad, it’s clear there will be issues if they pick up injuries. If players are playing in more games, days apart – especially in another expected deep Champions League run – Barcelona can quickly find themselves down to the bare bones.
“It’s certainly a challenging situation,” Vilajoana added. “There’s very little margin for injuries, suspensions, or the demands of a long season.
“Without meaningful change, this risks escalating into a full-blown crisis, with long-term consequences for the team’s growth and success both on and off the pitch.
A number of Barcelona players featured for Spain at Euro 2025, losing to England in the final
“Looking ahead, the club must balance immediate squad needs with financial realities, which means careful recruitment within LaLiga’s rules and greater reliance on youth talent than in previous seasons.
“That said, if there’s one thing we know about the Barca teams, it’s that this is a group of fighters.
“The players have built their reputation on overcoming obstacles and showing resilience under immense pressure. My hope is that these setbacks fuel their determination to prove, once again, why they are the best of the best.
“However, we can’t rely forever on their resilience alone. The players deserve a club that enables their success, not hinders it.”
Is there a way to fix the situation?
Barcelona’s hierarchy, including president Joan Laporta, must treat the women’s team with respect, says Xavi Vilajoana
It’s clear the way Barcelona are currently operating is not sustainable or beneficial for the women’s team. So how does the club go about improving things?
In the WSL, some clubs like Chelsea and Everton have sold their women’s teams in a bid to raise revenue and help avoid breaching the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability rules. Aston Villa are expected to follow.
However, Vilajoana does not see that as the right path for Barcelona.
“I do not believe separating the women’s team from the rest of the club is the right move,” he said.
“I was the board member responsible for the team when we decided to fully integrate it into La Masia. That meant the same coaching methods, the same values, and the same footballing philosophy. I believed in that approach then, and I believe in it even more today.
“What the women’s team needs is not structural independence – it needs is respect and fair treatment.
Barcelona faced a struggle to register some men’s players in recent seasons, including Dani Olmo – something that has had a knock-on effect for the women’s team
“The problem is not being part of the same club as the men’s team. The problem is when leadership fails to apply the same standards of professionalism and long-term vision across all sections. When a team achieves what Barcelona Women have achieved, it deserves budgets, planning, and governance that reflect that success.
“Barca’s strength comes from being one club. ‘Mes que un club’ means everyone under one crest: men’s football, women’s football, futsal, basketball, and youth development.
“Splitting the women’s team would risk losing the global platform and emotional connection that being Barca provides. It would take years to rebuild that identity from scratch.”
Barcelona need a support system that matches their clear ambitions with financial backing and most importantly, the right players. It will not be hard to convince people to join the club based on the intended on-field success, but off-field issues may hamstring them in the seasons to come, undoing years of building their winning reputation.
It would be a shame for not only the club but women’s football as a whole if such a team were left to flounder at a time when the game is only growing.
