Barcelona grow impatient over Turan and UEFA

Barcelona are still waiting to determine whether they can register Arda Turan to play competitive games before next January.

The European champions launched an appeal to be allowed to field the Turkey international due to the long-term knee injury suffered by Rafinha in September’s Champions League draw at Roma.

Barca are serving a ban over registering new signings as a result of irregularities in the transfer of minors to their La Masia academy, with this sanction not due to expire until the next window.

The club have confirmed they have yet to hear from FIFA over whether Turan or current Masia youngsters can be registered and have threatened to go to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to have the issue resolved.

“With regards to FIFA, the Club is still awaiting a pronouncement from the organisation over the registration of the player Arda Turan to cover the long term absence of Rafinha,” read a statement released by the club following Monday’s board meeting.

“The club is still awaiting a written response in order to be able to register new players at youth team level. Finally, a pronouncement from FIFA is still awaited on those young players who cannot be registered so that they can continue their sporting and academic education at La Masia.

“If in the following weeks FIFA’s administrative silence continues, FC Barcelona will assume this legally binding step no longer applies and will present an appeal to CAS due to lack of legal protection.”

Barca opted to appeal against a UEFA fine issued as a result of pro-Catalan independence flags being displayed in the Champions League clash with Bayer Leverkusen at Camp Nou, and say they will take their complaint to CAS should their appeal by rejected by European football’s governing body.

“With regards to UEFA, the board of directors have examined all the details of the appeal presented to the Appeals Committee of Europe’s governing body, once received the legal basis for the sanction imposed concerning the Champions League game against Bayer Leverkusen.

“Should the appeal not be accepted, the board of directors have restated their decision to appeal to CAS, and if necessary, the civil courts or even the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.”