Barcelona’s Ambitions for the Liga F Season
Barcelona is gearing up for the upcoming Liga F season, aiming to secure their seventh consecutive title while striving to reclaim the UEFA Women’s Champions League, a trophy they have held three times in the last six years. However, the team is grappling with significant challenges this year.
Challenges Faced by the Team
Under the guidance of Coach Pere Romeu, the squad has seen considerable turnover, particularly after the bitter loss to Arsenal in last season’s Champions League final. The departures have included notable players such as Sweden’s Fridolina Rolfö, who has moved to Manchester United, and promising young defender Jana Fernández, who has joined the London City Lionesses. These changes have left Barcelona with just 17 players registered for the first match of the Liga F season against newly promoted Alhama, raising concerns about their ability to cope with injuries or further setbacks.
Financial Constraints and Roster Management
The reasons behind this thin roster are multifaceted. One significant factor is the financial regulations imposed by LaLiga, which have forced the club to tighten its budget across all teams, including the women’s program. This fiscal discipline has been necessitated by the broader financial troubles encountered by the men’s team, with strict spending limits impacting player acquisitions and maintaining competitive wages. La Liga’s salary cap for Barcelona has been set at approximately €460 million annually, covering player wages as well as other operational expenses.
Despite the financial challenges, the women’s squad has historically been one of the more self-sufficient entities within the club. Yet, current fiscal constraints have compelled their management to reduce salaries and rely more heavily on younger players from the academy.
Unique Challenges in a Competitive Landscape
In the context of LaLiga’s financial regulations, Barcelona faces a unique situation when compared to other clubs, particularly due to its extensive commitment to multiple sports. The club not only fields a competitive women’s football team but also maintains professional squads in basketball, futsal, handball, and hockey. This diversification means that as it budgets for the upcoming season—allocating funds across various categories, including €28.75 million specifically for basketball and €13.75 million for the women’s team—Barcelona must contend with challenges that other clubs do not face.
In a recent climate where the competition is intensifying, with leagues like England’s Women’s Super League attracting greater financial backing, Barcelona must navigate tougher recruitment landscapes. The disparity in television revenue—€7 million shared among the 16 Liga F teams compared to around €14 million across 12 teams in the WSL—highlights the challenges they face attracting and retaining top talent.
Looking to the Future
Notably, the departure of Rolfö, who played a pivotal role in last season’s Champions League final and was expected to be a cornerstone of this upcoming season, has compounded concerns. The exit of Ingrid Engen to Lyon and the decision by other players such as Éllie Roebuck and Bruna Vilamala to move on were part of a broader pattern over the years, with many stars—including key players like Mariona Caldentey and Lucy Bronze—having left the club over the past two seasons.
As the club looks to its youth for reinforcements, they are hopeful that players like Vicky López, Salma Paralluelo, and Clàudia Pina—who are already in the national spotlight—will rise to the occasion. The organization is banking on these young talents to not only fill the void left by their more experienced counterparts but also thrive under pressure in a challenging league.
Confidence in the Team’s Potential
Despite these changes, Aitana Bonmatí, a key player and Ballon d’Or winner, expressed confidence in their ability to compete at the highest level. She embraced the challenge as an opportunity for the younger roster to gain invaluable experience in what promises to be a fierce competition this season.
With victories in their sights, Barcelona remains resilient, committed to leveraging their youth talent while retaining ambitions of adding to their illustrious trophy collection.
