Barcelona: Financial Storm

[Ander N'Diaz]

In real life, Barcelona are in financial ruin with mounting debt and no Messi; allowed to leave the club as there was no money to offer him a new deal due to years of financial mismanagement and financial fair play rules. From Messi, Suarez and Neymar to Depay, de Jong and Braithwaite. Time for a spell in the wilderness as they get their house in order perhaps.

Well on this FM save we can find out.

Playing on FM Touch we can impose a financial collapse on Barcelona via the Financial Storm challenge. Whilst this is only updated to the winter 2020 transfers, we still have Messi, Griezmann and co but are under significant pressure to cut the wage bill and reduce our incredible debt.

GOALS
1) Operate within the new, reduced wage budget
2) Attempt to renew Messi's contract
3) Survive the first season of Financial Storm
4) Reduce the debt and make the club profitable again

To do so, we will have to sell as many high earners as possible at first.

Once that is done, we will have to re-establish La Masia - Barcelona's once famous youth academy to sustain the club. If and when we are able to make signings they will be free transfers or loans until the bank allows us to once again spend some money.

Can I return Barcelona to financial stabilty AND maintain on-field success? Or will the meltdown continue and cost me my job?​

 

[Ander N'Diaz]

The journey begins....


The Debt:

The Wage Deficit:

In better news, we start stop of the table but with every player up for sale there is little guarantee that we can maintain this in the short term

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[Ander N'Diaz]

With only one week of the transfer window left the fire sale began. Everyone except Messi, Fati and Pedro were offered out to clubs.

The result....

Ousmane Dembele SOLD - £35.5m to Man Utd
Sergi Roberto SOLD - £33.5m to Man Utd
Marc-Andre ter Stegen SOLD - £27m to Man Utd
Samuel Umtiti SOLD - £13.5m to Gladbach
Gerard Pique SOLD - £3.8m to PSG
Sergino Dest SOLD - £10.5m to PSG
Clement Lenglet SOLD - £22.5m to Liverpool
Junior Firpo SOLD - £9.5m to Atlanta Utd
Trincao SOLD - £13m RB Leipzig
Ronald Araujo SOLD - £21.5m to Inter Milan
Frenkie de Jong SOLD - £49.5m to Bayern Munich
Martin Braithwaite SOLD - £5m to Lille

Coutinho LOANED to Man Utd
Antoine Griezmann LOANED to Liverpool
Miralem Pjanic LOANED to Man City​

 

[Ander N'Diaz]

The team that faced Valencia in my first game:

The team that faced Levante in my second game:

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[Ander N'Diaz]

Despite the utter devastation the fire sale made to our first team squad, it did reduce our debt by £190m (now it is **only** £600m) and we are now operating within a financially viable wage budget.

On a positive note, the first youth intake during the Financial Storm looks like it is going to produce a golden generation... and do we need it!!

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[Ander N'Diaz]

Despite the mass fire sale of players, we start our Barcelona rebuild in empathic form with Messi and Fati on fire...
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[Ander N'Diaz]

Despite the depleted squad we are left, we now have some room for maneouvre with the wage budget which, as in real life, means we could maybe sign the odd free transfer for next season.

We managed to convince Donnarumma to sign as well as some others to strengthen the squad.

Messi is yet to agree a new deal as he is unhappy with the lack of squad depth. Hopefully I can convince him and he will take a major pay cut freeing up further funds for possible moves of David Alaba, Memphis Depay and possibly Matthias Ginter - all on frees of course.​