Barcelona face potential bans after Spanish FA opens case over alleged Julian Alvarez approaches

Barcelona are facing possible bans and financial penalties after the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) opened a disciplinary case following an Atletico Madrid complaint over alleged repeated approaches to Julian Alvarez in recent months.

The RFEF confirmed that a formal disciplinary file has been initiated against Barcelona in response to Atletico’s allegation that the forward was subjected to “harassment and repeated attempts” to persuade him to join the Catalan club.

Both clubs were notified of the decision on Thursday, with Barcelona granted the opportunity to submit their defence, while Atletico Madrid will also be able to present their case as part of the process.

Atletico’s complaint centres on what it considers improper contact with the player, claiming Barcelona made sustained efforts over a period of months to convince the Argentina international to move to the Camp Nou.

Possible sanctions under RFEF rules

Spanish newspaper Marca has outlined the range of punishments that could be imposed on both Barcelona and Alvarez if the RFEF’s disciplinary bodies conclude that rules have been breached.

The possible sanctions are based on Article 93 of the RFEF’s disciplinary code, which deals with failure to comply with federation decisions and regulations.

Under this provision, the authorities can impose financial penalties alongside sporting sanctions. These may include bans or suspensions lasting from one month up to two years, or suspensions of no fewer than four matches.

Such measures can be applied to both club officials and players who are found to have violated the regulations.

Next steps in disciplinary process

The opening of the file does not in itself represent a finding of guilt, but it formally triggers the RFEF’s disciplinary procedure.

Investigators will now assess the submissions from Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, examine the circumstances of the alleged approaches and determine whether Article 93 or any other relevant provisions have been breached.

If the disciplinary committee ultimately rules against Barcelona or Alvarez, it has the power to apply the full range of sanctions set out in the code, combining financial penalties with suspensions if it considers that appropriate.

No timeline has yet been made public for when a final decision will be reached, and neither club has issued detailed public comment on the specifics of the case since the opening of the disciplinary file was confirmed.