Barcelona's women's team is feeling the effects of the club's ongoing financial problems; the team starts the 2025/26 season with 17 first-team players; another 17 players have left Barcelona this summer; the club's finances and resources are being divided between the men's, women's and youth teams.
Charlotte Marsh
Pictured: Barcelona's women's team is facing financial difficulties at the club and is short of squad for matches ahead of the 2025/26 season.
Barcelona Women have been the darlings of Europe for the past five years. Following in the footsteps of one of the best teams in the world, they remain a dominant force in Spanish football and the Women's Champions League.
But they are being held back by their own club, and that could be affecting their incredible success. They have just 17 first-team players this season, just short of what they need for a full matchday squad.
Barcelona have been in chaos for some time now. There have been delays in the opening of the newly renovated Nou Camp stadium, and the men's team have had difficulty registering players under La Liga's financial rules, to name just a few of the problems.
In Spain, all clubs are inextricably linked – men's, women's, youth and more. At Barcelona, this applies not only to the game philosophy, the “mes que un club” mentality, but also to finances.
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This means that the problems of the men's team affect the entire club. The women's team is punished for problems that have little to do with them, but the consequences are the same.
Javier Vilajoana is a former director of Barcelona who, during his time at the club, helped create, develop and manage the women's team.
Barcelona's official website lists just 17 players in the starting lineup, although it does include the caveat that “the squad for the 2025/26 season is not yet final.”
Current team roster:
Goalkeepers: Gemma Font, Kata Call
Defenders: Irene Parades, Mapi Leon, Marta Torrejon, Ona Batlle, Esme Brugts, Laia Aleixandri.
Midfielders: Alexia Putellas, Patry Guijarro, Aitana Bonmati, Kika Nazareth, Vicky Lopez.
Forwards: Salma Paralluelo, Claudia Pina, Caroline Graham Hansen, Eva Pajor.
He explained: “Unlike in England or the US, here everything goes into the same financial pot. According to the Spanish league rules, financial fair play [FFP] treats the entire club's expenses as a single entity.”
“The idea is to simplify oversight, avoid loopholes and ensure stability across all sectors. Barcelona have asked for changes, but for now La Liga insists that the men's, women's and youth teams remain financially linked.”
This means that if the men's team overspends on contracts or transfers, everyone else pays the price. The women's team, academies and even futsal have to cut costs, whether they are responsible or not. Sports facilities, medical staff and infrastructure are also shared, so cuts in investment in one area affect everyone.
Pictured: Barcelona lost to Arsenal in the Women's Champions League final in May.
Worse, rather than treating Barça's women's squad and La Masia as valuable components of the club, they have too often been seen as quick fixes for financial mistakes, which is not conducive to building a sustainable future.
“Barcelona's management needs a long-term vision that will treat every member of the club with respect. When I was at Barcelona, I saw how much talent and potential we risk losing due to management mistakes.”
But perhaps even more surprisingly, according to the Deloitte Football Money League 2025 report, Barcelona have the highest revenue of any women's team in Europe, earning almost €18m (£15.6m) last season, more than Arsenal, Chelsea and Real Madrid.
Vilajoana added: “This demonstrates the strength of the brand, the commercial appeal 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 struggling financially due to widespread mismanagement of the club's accounts.
“Their budget has been cut and the women's department now needs around €1m (£867,350) to avoid a deficit, which is why we have already seen high-profile departures this summer.”
“The irony is that women's football continues to grow at an incredible rate. The last European Championship showed us how interesting and commercially important this sport is. Barcelona, with its talent and success, should be an example of this growth. Instead of cutting back, they should expand with the market.”
“Having 17 players is a shock for the fans”
Pictured: Pere Romeu took over at Barcelona last summer and won the Ligue F title in his first season.
This summer alone, 17 players have left the club, some on loan, with Laia Aleixandri the only permanent signing from Manchester City on a free transfer. Judging by the current squad, that's quite a squad.
Players such as Jana Fernandez and Lucia Corrales joined London City Lionesses, while Fridolina Rolfo signed for Manchester United after her contract was terminated. Ingrid Engen joined European club Lyon.
Lucy Bronze and Keira Walsh have both left for Chelsea in the last 12 months, while Mariona Caldentey joined Arsenal last summer.
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Vilajoana said: “Financially, the departures of players give the club short-term relief by reducing the wage bill, but it has left the squad weaker than we have seen in recent years.”
“The fans are shocked that a team like Barcelona is competing with just 17 players.
In terms of morale, I can't speak for the players directly, but it's clear that it's going to be a tough period. The sudden departures of players like Rolfo and Fernandes this summer was a real shock to many, and after the disappointment of the Euros for many in the squad this summer, I'm sure it's been a test for them.
I am sure the same is true for the men's team. The problems the club faces affect everyone.
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“But it didn't start yesterday. The management's habit of improvising instead of planning led the club to a dead end, and little by little the club was forced to sell to compensate for the mistakes.
“It’s becoming more visible now because of La Liga’s financial rules regarding salary caps and registration fees, so every summer fans see important players leaving and it’s not a football decision but a financial necessity.
The women's team, previously insulated from such pressures, now faces player departures and wage adjustments. Clubs such as Real Madrid or Bayern Munich rarely have to sell key players just to balance their budgets.
“Even Juventus, who faced financial sanctions for violating financial fair play, did not rely on selling players in the same crisis-ridden manner that we are seeing at Barcelona.”
That's not to say Barcelona don't have talent. They still have 17 world-class players, Ballon d'Or and World Cup winners, and some of them were even Euro finalists a few weeks ago.
But with the club missing several players to make the matchday squad, it is clear that injuries could cause problems. If players play more games within a few days of each other, especially in another expectedly high Champions League run, Barcelona could quickly find themselves without a starting lineup.
“It's certainly a difficult situation,” Vilajoana added. “Injuries, suspensions and a long season mean there's little room for delay.”
“Without significant change, the situation risks escalating into a full-blown crisis with long-term consequences for the team’s growth and success both on and off the pitch.
Pictured: Several Barcelona players played for Spain at Euro 2025, but lost to England in the final.
“Looking forward, the club needs to balance the current needs of the squad with financial realities, which means carefully selecting players in line with La Liga rules and relying more on young talent than in previous seasons.
“However, if we know anything about Barcelona teams, it’s that they are a group of fighters.
The players have built a reputation for overcoming obstacles and showing resilience under immense pressure. I hope these setbacks will strengthen their resolve to prove once again that they are the best of the best.
“But we can't rely on their resilience forever. Players deserve a club that helps them succeed, not hinders them.”
Is there a way to fix the situation?
In photo: Barcelona management, including president Joan Laporta, must treat the women's team with respect, says Xavi Vilajoana.
It is clear that Barcelona's current approach is neither sustainable nor beneficial for the women's team. So how does the club plan to improve the situation?
In the WSL, some clubs, such as Chelsea and Everton, have sold their women's teams to boost revenue and avoid breaching Premier League rules on profits and sustainability. Aston Villa are expected to follow suit.
However, Vilajoana does not believe this is the right path for Barcelona.
“I don't think separating the women's team from the rest of the club is the right move,” he said.
“I was a member of the board of directors in charge of the team when we decided to fully integrate it into La Masia. That meant the same coaching methods, the same values and the same football philosophy. I believed in that approach then and I believe in it even more today.
“The women’s team does not need structural independence, but respect and fair treatment.
Pictured: In recent seasons, Barcelona have had difficulties registering some of their men's team players, including Dani Olmo, which has had a negative impact on the women's team.
The problem is not that we play at the same club as the men’s team. The problem is that the management does not apply the same standards of professionalism and long-term vision across all departments. When a team achieves what the Barcelona women’s team has achieved, it deserves budgets, planning and management that reflect that success.
The strength of Barça is that we are one club. “Mes que un club” means that everyone is united under one emblem: men's football, women's football, futsal, basketball and youth development.
“The division of the women's team risks losing the global platform and emotional connection that Barça provides. It will take years to rebuild that identity.”
Barcelona need a support system that matches their ambition, financial backing and, most importantly, the right players. Convincing people to join the club with the expectation of success on the pitch will be easy, but problems off it could hamper them in future seasons, undoing years of building a winning reputation.
It would be a shame not only for the club but for women's football in general if such a team were left to fend for itself at a time when the game is just gaining momentum.
Sourse: skysports.com
