Barcelona Has Been Warned Over “Illegal” Ousmane Dembele Treatment

Barcelona
Barcelona

Barcelona was warned by the AFE in Spain for their illegal treatment of Ousmane Dembele.

Barcelona announced on Thursday that Dembele must leave the club before the end of the month after failing to agree to a new contract at Camp Nou, with just six months to run on his deal.

Director of football Mateu Alemany said the Catalan club does not want players “who are not committed,” with coach Xavi Hernandez dropping him from the squad for Thursday’s Copa del Rey tie at Athletic Bilbao.

However, the AFE has advised Barcelona that they could be breaking the law by cutting Dembele out of their plans and treating him differently from the rest of their players simply because he does not want to sign a new contract.

Barcelona Seems To Be Under Immense Pressure

“A club is obliged to pay a player the agreed wages and allow the provision of services under the same conditions as the rest of his teammates, without there being any type of discrimination or pressure for the athlete to waive their working rights,” the AFE said in a statement. “The renewal of a contract requires the agreement of both parties.

“Said agreement must be issued freely without any external conditions that limit the player’s freedom. A footballer does not have the right to be called up for every match, but they must be treated under the same conditions as their teammates.

“If [Barca’s actions] can be understood as pressure to break his will — and if public statements are also made acknowledging this type of pressure — we would be looking at illegal conduct.

“The AFE considers that not reaching an agreement to renew a contract does not imply a labor breach, so it cannot have any consequences. Not picking a player for a period of time without any injury, illness or physical impediment, supposes a devaluation of his image that will negatively affect his future contracts.”