Transfer ban a message for Barca to change their ways

Fifa’s one-year transfer ban on Barcelona shows how concerned the world football authorities are to uphold their regulations about the transfer of young players.

It’s a strong signal, especially as Barcelona pride themselves on their youth development programmes and looking after youngsters. Moreover the club has already been hit by bans imposed on youngsters playing in their academy teams, among them three South Koreans. This is a particular embarrassment as Barcelona have been targeting juvenile recruits from the FCB Escola training centre they opened in Seoul in 2011. Fifa have given Barcelona 90 days to regularise the position of six young players who they have banned and it seems certain the club will need to review its recruitment processes.

However, as far as Barcelona’s first-team are concerned, the Fifa sanctions will almost certainly turn out to be less draconian than they appear.