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By LUKE POWER, SPORTS REPORTER Published: 02: 09 AEST, 13 August 2025 | Updated: 02: 09 AEST, 13 August 2025 5 View comments Barcelona's women's team is being gutted because of the financial meltdown suffered by the club - including the men. Barca Femini are set to enter the season with just 17 first-team players due to the economic turmoil surrounding the club. The men's team have struggled to register players since 2020 and, in June, The Times revealed that Barca had breached UEFA's Financial Fair Play rules for the second successive year. And La Liga has a rule whereby the budgets for the women's and youth teams are counted alongside the men's in the balance for financial restrictions. Barcelona have protested against this rule but, with it still in effect, president Joan Laporta has taken to slashing the women's team to free up funds for the men. The latest revelation, via El Periodico, is that Jana Fernandez, who has won 15 trophies with the club, is seeing her contract terminated to free up salary space. Jana Fernandez is reportedly the 14th player to set to Barcelona Women to free up funds for the men's team La Liga counts the budgets for the women's and youth teams alongside the men for Financial Fair Play reasons - something Barca have protested against There are fears the likes of Alexis Putellas (left) and Mapi Leon (right) could leave next year when their contracts expire Fernandez, a Spain international, will leave one of the world's most successful women's clubs and looks poised to sign for newly promoted WSL side London City Lionesses. The academy graduate is not alone. Fourteen players have left Barcelona Femini this summer - 12 of them permanently - while only two signings have been made: a loan and a free transfer. According to El Periodico, there is 'concern' for the future of the women's team and its long-term viability at the top level. That's because nine more players are out of contract next summer - including major stars such as Alexia Putellas or Mapi Leon - and there is a growing trend of not replacing the departures. All of this is stemming from the extreme financial pressures which are burdening the club. The women's team are feeling the squeeze and reportedly need to make £0. 68million in savings, but the men's team are interlinked and heavily affected. For example, in January Hansi Flick's side came close to losing two of their standout stars - Dani Olmo and Pau Victor - and were only allowed to re-register the players after selling 475 VIP seats in their renovated Nou Camp to a number of Middle Eastern investors. The deals that stretch across 30 years were said to have added £84m to the club's finances, allowing them to balance their books. The men's team have struggled with registering players such as Dani Olmo in recent years Barcelona (pictured: president Joan Laporta) continue to have financial issues off-the-field That wasn't even the first time Barcelona have been in the situation. In the summer of 2022, the club raised over £700m by pilling 'levers', which involved selling stakes in the club's future business. That came just a year after club legend and footballing icon Lionel Messi left due to his salary not fitting in with the league's new salary cap. In July 2023, meanwhile, it was reported that Barcelona were set to pull their last economic lever by selling another stake in Barca Studios.
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