Deco regrets after the unfortunate loss of $5M: they were key to signing

The work carried out by Deco and Joan Laporta is proving key to returning Barça to the top of world soccer. Deco, with his work as the visible head of the sports department, together with Hansi Flick, has brought Barça back to the path of victory. The team managed to win the domestic treble last season and came close to reaching the Champions League final.

Joan Laporta, meanwhile, has managed to stabilize the club financially with his financial management, although there is still a long way to go. After disastrous past management that brought the club to the brink of collapse, Joan Laporta has managed to steer the organization back on track. Laporta has managed to generate more revenue from all areas, and one of them is friendlies.

Barça earned €15 million from their preseason Asian tour, with the three friendlies against Vissel Kobe, Seoul, and Daegu valued at €5 million per match. With the fee set, Barça had another friendly agreed upon for the international break in October, which runs from the 6th to the 15th of the month. Barça had arranged a match in Libya that would generate another €5 million, a very attractive way to generate new revenue. 

Libya friendly, canceled

Barça had to return the €5 million they had received in advance after ultimately deciding not to play the match. The club had requested advance payment to avoid problems similar to those experienced during the Asian tour, which were eventually solved. According to information from the newspaper Marca, the match was canceled for security reasons.

The club saw it as positive to earn €5 million in atypical revenue, especially since it was outside the 1:1 rule of financial fair play. It should be remembered that the situation in Tripoli, the country's capital, has been very turbulent in recent months. Libya is facing a deep political and economic crisis marked by division between rival governments, insecurity, and deteriorating humanitarian conditions.

Priority: first team

In this context, after internal debate, Barça has decided to cancel the friendly due to the lack of security measures for a team like Barça. The club had the advantage that the promoters did not require the presence of the team's top stars. The organizers were aware of the international drafts and gave their approval anyway.

The cancellation of the match has a negative aspect from an economic point of view but a positive one regarding the first team. Barça has several injured players, and canceling the match will avoid another trip and sporting risks. This is positive news for Flick, who will avoid the risk of new injuries at a stage of the season that is starting to become demanding.