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Get ready for what could become one of the greatest plot twists in football history.
New Barcelona signings Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal are not able to play for the Catalan giants until January due to the transfer ban handed out by FIFA to the Blaugrana since the beginning of this year. Until the next transfer window is open, there's no way they can play. Or maybe they can.
The terrible news of Rafinha Alcântara's injury, which is likely to require season-ending surgery, might be a reason for Barça to register one of their new players, according to what former presidential candidate Toni Freixa explained on Twitter:
El Barça pot inscriure un substitut de Rafinha. L'article 124.3 del Reglament RFEF és claríssim i aqui la FIFA no hi té cap competència (1)
— Toni Freixa (@tonifreixa) September 17, 2015
En aquest cas seria la RFEF la que concediria la llicència al nou jugador o la denegaria. Si la denega es pot recórrer però MAI a la FIFA(2)
— Toni Freixa (@tonifreixa) September 17, 2015
Per tant no hi ha cap motiu per no iniciar els tràmits. No s'ha de consultar res, s'ha de tenir les idees clares i actuar. A l'equip li cal
— Toni Freixa (@tonifreixa) September 17, 2015
Before you start screaming "IT'S IN CATALAN, I CAN'T UNDERSTAND A WORD!!!". Don't worry, here's the translation:
"The club may register a substitute for Rafinha. Article 124.3 of Regulation RFEF is very clear and FIFA has no competition here. In this case it would be the RFEF who is granting the license to the new player or deny it. If denied it can be appealed but never to FIFA. Therefore there is no reason not to start the process. There's no need to consult anything, we must have clear ideas and act. The team is in need."
Happy? Still don't understand? Let's put it in very clear terms: