Football Business: FC Barcelona cuts costs, scouting department to be reduced by 50%

One of the world’s richest football club FC Barcelona is also feeling the pinch of Covid19 like everyone else. Barca are set to make severe cuts to their scouting department this summer in light of the coronavirus crisis.

The Catalan club are ready to dispense with over half of their 40-strong scouting network, with Brazilian Andre Cury the highest-profile casualty.

From now on, the team will be reduced to between 15 and 20 scouts, SER Catalunya reported on Thursday, in cutbacks which were already planned but became a necessity after the break enforced by Covid-19.

Catalunya Radio revealed later in the day that Cury, who was head of Barcelona’s operations in Brazil and key to bringing Neymar to the club in 2013, had been relieved of his duties.

While Neymar was a success on the pitch, many of his signings have been less impressive, with right-back Douglas one notable flop.

Catalunya Radio revealed later in the day that Cury, who was head of Barcelona’s operations in Brazil and key to bringing Neymar to the club in 2013, had been relieved of his duties.

While Neymar was a success on the pitch, many of his signings have been less impressive, with right-back Douglas one notable flop.

La Liga Clubs to lose the most 

Earlier it was reported,  Spanish duo Barcelona and Real Madrid are in line for the biggest losses of the top European clubs if there is a slow recovery for their league in the 2020-21 season.

In the worst-case scenario emanating from the coronavirus pandemic, a report had claimed that the La Liga giants face missing out on revenue of upwards of $436 million. With Covid-19 cases having fallen and lockdown restrictions relaxed in recent weeks, the suspended Spanish league is planning to resume the 2019-20 campaign, behind closed doors, in second week of June.

However, in the event this is not possible, defending champions Barcelona stand to lose between $131 million and $283 million and Real between $108 million and $251 million, according to the study conducted by Deutsche Bank and published in Spanish media on Thursday.

Across Europe, the bank is estimating that the top clubs will lose between 13 per cent and 30 per cent of revenue if their leagues cannot be completed this season.

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