Barcelona fined shocking amount over Griezmann case
Barcelona were reported to the Spanish Football Federation by Atletico Madrid over an alleged illegal approach for star Frenchman Antoine Griezmann.
The hearing found Barcelona guilty of the alleged tapping up, but have decided to fine the Catalan club an extraordinary total for the act. They’ve billed the Spanish giants, the world footballing stars a mere… wait for it… £265.
£265.
This extraordinarily low fee has been charged, but Barcelona are still going to appeal the decision as they supposedly believe that if they don’t then it will make them out to be ‘accepting of wrongdoing’, which they’re adamant they’re not.
Griezmann has been a controversial character throughout the most recent years of his career, and it seems he can’t stay out the media even after his big-money move was sealed. Barcelona signed the forward for £107m, which was deemed to be his buy-out clause.
This is where Atletico Madrid are angered: while the deal was officially agreed on July 1st, the day Griezmann’s buy-out clause dropped to £107m, the discussions between club and player are believed to have taken place before that date with a deal agreed long-prior to the start of summer, at a time where the buy-out clause should have been £179m.
The RFEF’s statement via the BBC read: “Taking into account the economic capacity of the club and the amount of the fine, this committee is aware that the payment of 300 euros, beyond its merely symbolic character, will not damage the sanctioned club and, probably, will not persuade other clubs in the same situation in the future to adjust their conduct to the regulations.”
However, the RFEF continued to explain that there was “not a sufficient reason” for the imposition of a one-match closure of the Nou Camp and that other sanctions available were for different circumstances.
The RFEF acknowledges that this sort of fine is not going to deter clubs from continuing these practices in the future, but you have to wonder how clubs trying to retain their players can feel confident that they’ll get their fair deal on current evidence.
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