Barça has moved heaven and earth to register Dani Olmo. It has faced the Federation, LaLiga, and most Spanish clubs. The result is that Olmo is registered, but he doesn't play.
A concerning medical history
In the club, there is concern about the medical history of this signing, who in his first season at Barça has shown flashes of brilliance. But without continuity.
There are indications that suggest Dani Olmo's physical problems are chronic. Just as it happened with Xavi Hernández in his last two years as a blaugrana player, he is not prepared to play three consecutive matches.
The problem is that Xavi was already 34 years old when he became a victim of painful plantar fasciitis. Olmo, at 26 years old, is in the prime of a footballer's life and can't string together four consecutive matches.
The debate is ongoing in the club, where more than one person suspects that Olmo was already injured when he arrived. No one realized that his clinical history advised against a 65 million euro signing.
The stress from his registration issues
Now it is also said that the muscle injury that has kept him away from the team in recent matches is due to stress. The uncertainty caused about his future due to his registration problems may have affected him not only mentally but also physically.
Moreover, although the CSD solved his case in his favor, LaLiga continues to insist in court to annul the ruling that allows him to play. In Madrid, they don't rule out that the player's registration could be annulled. This will be the case until the end of the season.
Flick doesn't dare to play him for 90 minutes
The issue is that Olmo gets injured, recovers, and gets injured again. Flick doesn't dare to play him for 90 minutes and tries to space out his presence in the team by giving him periodic rest. They handle him with care.
Olmo suffers a new muscle injury that will keep him out for at least 30 days, as happened at the beginning of the season.
In May 2024, muscle problems sidelined him for 21 days.
In October 2023, an acromioclavicular sprain kept him off the field for 53 days.
Last season he was out for 111 days
In September 2023, a knee injury kept him out of action for 37 days.
In other words, last season, playing with Leipzig, he was out for 111 days. And as soon as he arrived at Barça, 30 more days.
Olmo's clinical history is concerning. And the past is not more reassuring. In the 2022-23 season, the previous one, a muscle tear kept him off the field for 35 days.
Before that, he had suffered a tear of the internal ligament of the knee (49 days out).
And in the 2021-22 season: muscle tear (39 days) in November, and another in September (39 days).
Too many injuries with the Spanish national team
It is even more concerning that four of these injuries occurred with the Spanish national team.
This prevented Leipzig from counting on his services for 39, 49, 37, and 53 days. In other words: 178 days out at Leipzig. Almost six months.
At FC Barcelona, they are not unaware of Dani Olmo's medical history, and the club has decided to negotiate with the Federation for a reduction in his appearances with the national team.
The club agrees to manage the player's workload to avoid mishaps, but the Federation must also do its part. Laporta will request rest for Olmo to prevent his ailments from becoming chronic, something that is of particular concern to the club.
Dani Olmo is on the path to joining the group of signings that didn't succeed due to injuries. These are the cases of Vermaelen, Kun Agüero, Arda Turan, or even Dembélé.