Barca fined just £265 for illegal approach of Griezmann
Barcelona have been fined just £265 by the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) for their approach to Antoine Griezmann while he was at La Liga rivals Atletico Madrid.
Spanish champions Barcelona signed Griezmann after paying his £107m buyout clause, but broke RFEF rules by negotiating with Griezmann without Atletico’s permission.
Atletico claimed that Barca began talking to the player in March, when the buyout clause was £179m
His cost then dropped at the start of July, which was when he signed for Barca, but Atletico claimed the “commitment of the player and Barcelona was closed” prior to the clause reducing.
The RFEF’s statement read: “Taking into account the economic capacity of the club and the amount of the fine, this committee is aware that the payment of 300 euros, beyond its merely symbolic character, will not damage the sanctioned club and, probably, will not persuade other clubs in the same situation in the future to adjust their conduct to the regulations.”
However, the RFEF determined that was “not a sufficient reason” to impose a one-match closure of the Nou Camp – its only other possible sanction – which it says is reserved for “infractions of a different nature”.
Griezmann signed a five-year deal with Barca, which includes a £717m release clause.
After the move, Atletico released a statement in which they expressed their “strongest repulsion for the behaviour of both, especially Barcelona”.
