Barcelona reject lucrative Revolut partnership because of Luis Figo links

Barcelona have turned down a financially attractive proposal from digital banking company Revolut to become the club’s new financial partner because of its association with former player Luis Figo.

The details were reported by Mundo Deportivo, which cited Catalonia Radio’s Barca Reservat podcast as it outlined the latest developments in Barcelona’s search for a new financial services partner.

Barcelona’s agreement with Caixa ended a year ago and president Joan Laporta’s board is now considering whether to renew that relationship. Several international financial institutions have submitted offers, with Revolut’s proposal regarded as one of the strongest.

The British company’s bid was understood to represent an exceptional commercial opportunity, both financially and in terms of global marketing, because of Revolut’s international reach and attractive conditions.

Revolut became Manchester City’s global financial partner this year. Its branding appears on the back of both the men’s and women’s shirts, while it is also the principal shirt sponsor of Italian club Como.

The company was keen to establish a presence at Camp Nou, but Barcelona’s answer was “no”.

According to the report, the decision was not based on the financial terms or sporting considerations. Instead, it was linked to the historical and emotional significance of Figo, who is Revolut’s advertising face and global ambassador.

Recent Revolut campaigns have openly referred to the Portuguese player’s controversial move from Barcelona to Real Madrid in the summer of 2000.

Figo’s transfer remains one of the most painful episodes in Barcelona’s history for supporters, 26 years after he left the club for their fiercest rivals. Many fans still regard it as the ultimate betrayal.

Catalonia Radio reported that Barcelona’s board believed a partnership with a company that celebrates Figo and uses the story of his transfer as a marketing tool would represent another blow to supporters’ feelings. It also feared the agreement could turn public opinion against the club’s leadership.

The board is understood to regard any association with an organisation that includes Figo as one of the club’s red lines, regardless of the financial rewards on offer.

The decision underlines the strength of feeling that still surrounds the former player’s name at Barcelona. The club’s position is that some wounds cannot be healed by money, and that certain figures will remain unwelcome at Camp Nou مهما كانت قيمة العرض.