Barça Makes Surprise First Team Addition Just in Time for La Liga Resurgence
FC Barcelona's defender Andreas Christensen is all set to make his comeback to La Liga action following his medical clearance. The Danish stalwart has been given the green light to take the field once again after overcoming a left Achilles tendinitis that had kept him sidelined for over four months.
As per a club statement, Christensen has only managed to play one match this season, a La Liga fixture against Valencia on August 17, 2024. He substituted into the game during the 64th minute, providing cover at the heart of the defense. Unfortunately, this was the only competitive outing for Christensen, making him unavailable for manager Hansi Flick since then.
Christensen's injury, however, presented FC Barcelona with an opportunity. His unavailability allowed the Catalan giants to utilize a unique loophole to temporarily register new signings Dani Olmo and Pau Victor until December 31, 2024. The Spanish duo proved their worth during their brief tenure, with Olmo shining in Barcelona's 5-2 Spanish Super Cup final win over Real Madrid last Sunday and starting as a false 9 in the 5-1 drubbing of Real Betis in the Copa del Rey last 16.
However, the temporary registrations for Olmo and Victor triggered a series of legal challenges. A judge initially refused to grant them licenses beyond December 31, 2024. This was followed by La Liga and the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) also denying their clearances. To overcome this hurdle, FC Barcelona sold VIP seats to its Spotify Camp Nou stadium as part of a $103 million (€100 million) deal, enabling the club to operate within Financial Fair Play limits. Despite this, FC Barcelona still had to appeal to a Spanish sports court to get Olmo and Pau Victor cleared.
Now, with Christensen set to return, Barcelona can count on a stronger defense as they head into the business end of the season. Christensen's return is particularly timely, given Barcelona's current defensive woes. Key defender Iñigo Martínez was ruled out due to a right hamstring tear against Real Madrid, leaving Ronald Araujo as the primary candidate to partner Pau Cubarsi in the heart of the backline. Christensen's return provides an additional option, capable of operating as a pivot as well.
Indeed, in Spain, players returning to the fold after a long absence are often hailed as "new signings." With Christensen set to make his comeback, fans will eagerly await to see how many minutes the veteran defender gets in the coming weeks, starting with Barcelona's trip to Getafe on Saturday.
Christensen's return to the field could potentially disrupt the Spanish duo's temporary registrations at FC Barcelona, as Dani Olmo and Pau Victor's licenses expire at the end of December 2024. Real Betis and Real Madrid will undoubtedly notice Christensen's comeback, given his impressive performance against them in the Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup, respectively. Hansi Flick might consider deploying Pau Victor and Dani Olmo in different roles to accommodate Christensen back into the squad.
