Barcelona midfielder Dani Olmo has accused Real Madrid of launching a deliberate campaign to destabilise the Catalan club through legal action and public criticism, attributing the heightened tension to Los Blancos’ frustration after two seasons without silverware.
Speaking to RAC1, Olmo suggested that Real Madrid’s recent complaints were a reaction to Barcelona’s domestic dominance. “It’s normal that they want to make noise somehow,” he said. “We’ve had two years with many titles, dominating in La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Supercopa, and it’s normal that they want to destabilize things, but we are focused on our own game and on continuing to win.”
The Spain international’s remarks address a marked escalation in hostilities between the clubs. Real Madrid recently lodged a formal complaint against Barcelona regarding the Negreira Case, which concerns payments made to the former vice-president of Spanish football’s refereeing committee. Club president Florentino Pérez has also used several platforms to criticise Barcelona, extending to discussions with UEFA over the summer.
Registration Dispute and League Tension
Olmo’s own registration status has been a central battleground in this conflict. Earlier in 2025, La Liga president Javier Tebas publicly questioned whether the attacking midfielder would remain eligible to play for Barcelona through the season, arguing that court injunctions used to maintain his registration undermined the league’s financial control rules. Real Madrid were reported to have quietly supported this position.
The discord comes against a backdrop of contrasting fortunes. While Barcelona have secured La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Supercopa across the past two campaigns, Real Madrid ended the 2025-26 season empty-handed.
Madrid’s Summer Rebuild
Under new manager José Mourinho, Real Madrid have moved aggressively to close the gap, recruiting Denzel Dumfries, Marc Cucurella, Bernardo Silva and Ibrahima Konaté. Olmo acknowledged their improvements but remained defiant. “They are looking to improve,” he noted, “but we also improve every year.”
The off-field disputes extend beyond the Clásico rivalry. Atlético Madrid have also filed a FIFA complaint against Barcelona concerning the transfer of Julián Álvarez, adding another legal front to the champions’ complicated summer.
With the new season approaching and legal questions over Barcelona’s financial compliance still unresolved, the verbal sparring suggests the tension between Spain’s two superclubs will continue long after the opening whistle.