FC Barcelona have been sanctioned by the Royal Spanish Football Federation regarding their deal to sign Antoine Griezmann from Atletico Madrid earlier in the season, but the nature of the punishment imposed on the Catalan giants has left many with a sense of shock.
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Barca completed the signing of Griezmann in July after activating the French star's €120 million (R1.9 billion) buyout clause, making him the sixth-most expensive signing of all time, but were reported by Atletico for allegedly making an illegal approach to sign the 28-year-old.
Los Colchoneros accused the Catalans of approaching Griezmann prior to the end of the 2018/19 LaLiga campaign, at a time when his release clause was €200 million (R3.2 billion), and accordingly claimed that they were entitled to a further €80 million (R1.3 billion) from the transfer.
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Atletico referred the matter to the Spanish Competition Commission, which, according to Marca, found irregularities in Barcelona's deal to sign Griezmann, and have now imposed a fine of €300 (R4 900) on the reigning LaLiga champions.
The leniency of the fine imposed on the Blaugrana has shocked many, with the amount seen as a laughable punishment against a club of their size. The Commission also rejected a proposal from the investigating official that a stadium ban be imposed due to a lack of evidence.
Previous reports suggested that Griezmann's registration with Barca would be suspended if the club was found guilty, but there is no indication as to whether or not the Commission considered imposing such a sanction against the player and club.
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According to ESPN journalist Alex Shaw, Barca are also planning to appeal the fine imposed on them by the Commission.
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