FC Barcelona has secured a groundbreaking £1.4bn deal with Nike, marking a major milestone for the club. However, their on-field momentum was halted when a controversial VAR error disallowed a goal against Real Sociedad, leading to their first defeat in seven matches and ending their unbeaten streak. Despite the setback, Barcelona remains six points ahead of Real Madrid as they head into the international break.
FC Barcelona Signs £1.4bn Nike Deal
Barcelona secures a 14-year kit deal with Nike valued at £1.4bn, marking a record-breaking agreement.
Despite rumors of tension between the Catalan club and the American sports giant, the deal will bring approximately £105m per season to the La Liga side.
Real Madrid’s partnership with Adidas, valued at £950m overall, reportedly earns the club £110m per season and runs until 2028.
Nike initially partnered with Barcelona in 1998, with their previous deal set to expire in 2028. The new agreement, starting this season, supersedes the final years of the existing contract.
President Joan Laporta engaged in lengthy negotiations with the club, initially hesitant about renewing the partnership with the US sportswear giant earlier this year.
Barcelona’s Fresh Partnership Strategy
“FC Barcelona and Nike, two leading brands in the sport industry, are pleased to announce a new start with a multi-year partnership agreement, starting effective this season, that brings a new collaborative strategic partnership model between the two organisations,” a statement on the club’s website said.
They added that over their historic partnership “they have shared a deep commitment to innovation, creativity, and the pursuit of excellence” and that the “club has won 4 Champions Leagues, 12 league titles, 7 Copas del Rey, 3 World Club Cups and 3 European Super Cup” since the duo partnered.
The financial gain follows the Catalans’ announcement of a £76m loss in their latest accounts despite achieving record sponsorship revenue of £175m.
Investors failed to make payments for shares in the club’s media venture, Barca Vision, leading the La Liga giants to write off £117m in their 2023-24 accounts due to a dispute with investors.
According to Laporta, Barcelona is expected to return to Camp Nou at the “beginning of 2025” after renovations to the iconic stadium temporarily relocated the Catalan club to Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, located 6km away.
Barcelona Denied by VAR Error, Ending Unbeaten Streak
Barcelona suffered just their second La Liga defeat of the season, losing 1-0 to Real Sociedad on Sunday.
Following a seven-match winning streak across all competitions, Hansi Flick’s team was defeated by Sheraldo Becker’s crucial first-half goal.
The main topic of discussion from the game wasn’t the end of Barcelona’s unbeaten run or the absence of young star Lamine Yamal, but rather VAR’s controversial decision to disallow a Barcelona goal while the score was still 0-0.
How a VAR Error Ruled Out Barcelona’s Goal vs Sociedad
The controversy at Sociedad occurred in the 15th minute when Robert Lewandowski scored after receiving a clever pass from Frenkie de Jong.
As with every goal in the league, it was reviewed by VAR. Unlike the Premier League, Spain’s top division frequently uses the semi-automated offside technology seen in the Champions League.
After the review, the officials disallowed the goal, with the VAR freeze-frame showing Lewandowski’s right boot was barely offside, leading to the decision.
However, when reviewing a standard replay of the incident, it’s evident that Lewandowski was behind Real Sociedad’s Nayef Aguerd—and thus onside—when the ball was passed.
The VAR image was taken from an angle where Lewandowski’s boot was not visible.
Instead, the line was drawn from Aguerd’s boot, indicating that Lewandowski was onside, and the goal should have been allowed.
Naturally Barcelona were left furious after the game, with manager Flick saying: “There was no offside. It was not his [Lewandowski’s] foot. But we have to accept it.
“Of course, if it were 1-0 to us [if the goal stood], it will have been a different match. But it was different, and it was not our day.”
FourFourTwo’s assessment is that while semi-automated offside technology should theoretically minimize errors in VAR reviews, the Lewandowski incident demonstrates that the system is not completely flawless.
Certain camera angles can sometimes create issues with technology, as seen in 2020 when Hawkeye’s goal-line tech failed for the first time in 9,000 matches during Villa vs Sheffield United. The goalkeeper accidentally carried the ball over the line, but the cameras were blocked, and no goal signal was given. La Liga has yet to comment on the VAR incident, which handed Barcelona their second defeat of the season. Despite this, Barca still led Real Madrid by six points, heading into the international break.
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