Barcelona can keep Olmo and Víctor after favorable ruling from Spanish government

MADRID (AP) — Barcelona can retain playmaker Dani Olmo and forward Pau Victor after a favorable ruling by Spain's sports authority on Thursday.

The ruling came a day after the Spanish league said the club was not complying with financial fair play rules and that its auditors sent incorrect information that allowed the club to include the players in the squad for 2025.

The Spanish league and the Spanish federation denied Barcelona’s request to register the players because it missed the end-of-year deadline to comply with financial rules. But the club eventually was able to add them after the sports authority intervened with a provisional ruling, which it maintained on Thursday.

The Spanish league said it planned to appeal Thursday's ruling by the sports authority.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta said the league's complaint on Tuesday was “another attempt to hurt the club's image."

Barcelona later Tuesday defeated Atletico Madrid 1-0 in Madrid to advance to the Copa del Rey final.

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