Article by Romeo Ene – Published Tuesday, November 25, 2025, 2:10 p.m. / Updated Tuesday, November 25, 2025, 2:11 p.m.
Barcelona it was criticized again by Uli Hoeness, its honorary president Bayern Munich. In an interview with the OMR podcast, he described the Catalan club's management model as absurd and said that in any other country Barcelona would not be playing in the first division.
“Barcelona is not a model, I imagine. In any other country they would not be in the first division anymore. How can this work when you have debts of over a billion dollars?” said Hoeness, quoted by abola.pt.
Uli Hoeness hits the ground with Barcelona: “I think it's absurd”
The 73-year-old former Germany international did not shy away from saying: “I think it is absurd and incomprehensible that they continue to play in the first division. It is a model of a club that I would never respect.
In a normal country, a club managed like this wouldn't even be in the first division. Honestly, it's a miracle that I can still play in the first division.”
Hoeness said that Barcelona have been spending more than they earn for years and that this affects sporting merit. He stated that the Catalans' situation is the opposite of Bayern's.
“This is in stark contrast to the control we have at Bayern and our good economy, which should be an example to all clubs in Europe.
We can pride ourselves on solid management with economic criteria and a sporting quality that does not depend on financial manoeuvres,” said Hoeness. He argued that Germany's strict regulations would have long ago blocked a club with such high debts.
