Barcelona caught between a rock and a hard place amid La Liga woes

FC Barcelona tried to stand their ground against La Liga when it came to their financial fair play dispute, but it seems the club will need to back down and activate their fourth financial lever. They are running out of time to register their new summer signings, and will now have to take action in order to avoid total chaos.

The Catalans had been insisting that they had done enough to balance their books and to be able to register all of their new players and renewals. However, La Liga's computations say otherwise, leaving the club with practically no choice but to sell another 24.5% of their media production arm, Barca Studios.

According to Marca, the deal is expected to bring in an additional 100 million euros, which should allow them to register their new arrivals, namely: Robert Lewandowski, Andreas Christensen, Raphinha, Jules Kounde and Franck Kessie. They may even be able to finalise the deal to bring in Marcos Alonso as well as register the renewals of several other players including Ousmane Dembele, Sergi Roberto and Gavi.

Meanwhile, the club may be forced to enter a legal battle with midfielder Frenkie de Jong, who refused to accept a transfer deal to join Premier League sides Manchester United or Chelsea. He has a contract with Barcelona until 2026, which the club now aims to annul by claiming that there were irregularities when the extension was signed in 2020 under the previous board.

Captain Sergio Busquets reportedly agreed to yet another pay cut, with others under negotiation. Gerard Pique is believed to be next, with the veteran defender also expected to agree to another pay cut. Ironically, these sacrifices are being asked from the players while the club is also bringing in a host of expensive signings.

It's a gamble they have to take, if they want to improve their performances on the pitch. The Blaugrana are doing everything they can to strengthen their squad while also sorting out their massive debt, but they are at risk of becoming a laughingstock if they fail to register their new players in time. The club is set to open their La Liga campaign this Saturday when they host Rayo Vallecano at the Camp Nou.