Author name: Omar Rodríguez

FC Barcelona faces the potential loss of Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor due to registration issues. In Olmo’s case, the club risks losing a €48 million investment because of a release clause. Olmo and Pau Víctor, Unregistered for LaLiga Barcelona’s year began with challenges, as unresolved legal issues from late 2024 escalated on January 1, 2025. Both Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor lost their registration with LaLiga, rendering them ineligible to play during the second half of the 2024-25 season. Dani Olmo: A Loss Beyond the Pitch The situation with the Euro-winning midfielder is especially concerning. Barcelona invested €48 million to acquire Olmo, but a release clause in his contract allows him to leave as a free agent. While Olmo has expressed his desire to remain with the club, failure to resolve this issue could force his departure, with Premier League clubs already showing interest in signing him for free. According to the Spanish Football Federation, Barcelona has until January 3 to restore the players’ registration. Despite this, the club has remained silent on the matter. Olmo attended training as usual on January 1, but his official status in LaLiga remains unresolved. To address the financial requirements for Olmo’s registration, Barcelona has expedited payments for the VIP suites at the new Spotify Camp Nou. The funds, gathered by January 3, aim to provide LaLiga with a financial guarantee. However, the case’s resolution depends on its legal interpretation. Pau Víctor’s Future Unlike Olmo, Pau Víctor is expected to remain with Barcelona but may not play in LaLiga until the issue is resolved. The club’s best option appears to be loaning him out for the remainder of the season. This complicated start to 2025 highlights Barcelona’s ongoing financial and regulatory challenges, raising questions about the club’s management and future.

Arsenal and Brentford kicked off the New Year with the first match of 2025, where the “Gunners” triumphed 1-3 and moved into second place in the Premier League. The Premier League didn’t pause for the New Year, delivering an exciting match between Brentford and Arsenal, marking the first game of 2025. Arsenal claimed a 1-3 victory, securing second place in England. Brentford Takes the Lead The match, held on January 1st at Gtech Community Stadium, started poorly for the visitors, as Brentford took the lead just 13 minutes into the game. Bryan Mbeumo received a pass from Mikkel Damsgaard, made a cut inside from the left flank, and fired a shot to the near post that beat goalkeeper David Raya, putting the Bees ahead 1-0. Gabriel Jesus Levels the Score After a few near-misses from both teams, including a goal-line clearance from Raya following a mistake where he lost control of the ball, the equalizer arrived in the 29th minute. In a fortunate sequence of rebounds, a loose ball in the penalty area was picked up by Yakubu Partey, who took a powerful shot. Although Raya saved the initial strike, he left the ball in the center of the area, where Gabriel Jesus, with a diving header, sent the ball into the net to level the score. Arsenal’s Quick Turnaround In the second half, Arsenal took the lead in the 50th minute from a corner kick. A poorly cleared ball by the Brentford goalkeeper allowed Mikel Merino to push the ball into the net after an initial shot hit a defender. Merino then fired the ball through a crowd of players in the small box to give Arsenal the lead. Just three minutes later, Gabriel Martinelli extended the lead to 1-3. In a play initiated by Ethan Nwaneri’s cross, Brentford’s defense failed to clear the ball properly, allowing Martinelli to control it with his right thigh before firing a powerful shot that left the goalkeeper stranded, sealing the first win of the year for Arsenal. With this victory, Arsenal began the year on the right foot, moving into second place in the Premier League with 39 points, surpassing Nottingham Forest with 37 points, and remaining 6 points behind league leaders Liverpool, who have 45 points.

Liverpool, Atlético Madrid, Bayern Munich, Atalanta, and PSG have been crowned as winter champions after closing out the year. Now, they will aim to maintain their dominance in the second half of the season. As 2024 comes to an end, the winter champions have been decided in Europe’s major long-season format leagues: England, Spain, Germany, Italy, and France. While some results were expected, there were a few surprises along the way. Liverpool Dominates the Premier League’s First Half In England’s ever-competitive Premier League, Liverpool’s position as winter champion came as no surprise. With 45 points from 14 wins, 3 draws, and just 1 loss, the Reds hold a 6-point lead over second-place Arsenal. Nottingham Forest made an unexpected appearance in the top three with 37 points, followed by Chelsea in fourth with 35 points, and Newcastle in fifth with 32 points. Atlético Madrid Surprises in LaLiga In Spain, Atlético Madrid delivered the biggest surprise by snatching the top spot from Barcelona, who had dominated most of the first half of the season. Atlético claimed the winter champion title with 41 points, one point ahead of Real Madrid. Barcelona dropped to third place with 38 points and an additional match played compared to their rivals. Athletic Bilbao secured fourth place with 36 points, while Villarreal rounded out the top five with 30 points. Bayern Munich Regains Bundesliga Supremacy In Germany, Bayern Munich returned to the top of the Bundesliga after losing the title for the first time in 11 consecutive seasons to Bayer Leverkusen. Bayern now leads the league as winter champions with 36 points, though only 15 matches have been played, leaving two games to complete the first half of the season. Leverkusen trails in second with 32 points, aiming to defend their title, while Frankfurt is third, also with 32 points. RB Leipzig and Mainz 05 occupy the fourth and fifth spots with 27 and 25 points, respectively. Atalanta and Napoli Share Serie A Crown In Italy, a unique situation has unfolded with two teams sharing the winter championship. Atalanta and Napoli both finished the year with 41 points, though Atalanta leads on goal difference. Close behind, Inter sits in third with 40 points. Lazio is fourth with 35 points, and Fiorentina rounds out the top five with 32 points. Serie A is just one match away from reaching the halfway point of its season. PSG Reigns Supreme in Ligue 1 Finally, in France, Paris Saint-Germain continues its dominance, topping Ligue 1 with 40 points from 16 matches, holding a 10-point lead over second-place Marseille, who have played one game fewer. Monaco is in third with 30 points, albeit with an extra match compared to Marseille. LOSC Lille sits in fourth with 27 points, while Olympique Lyon is fifth with 25 points. Like Serie A, Ligue 1 is also one match away from hitting the halfway mark.