Real Madrid Transfer News: Barcelona President Doesn't Want Blancos Banned

Barcelona know what a transfer ban feels like. Apparently, the club doesn't even want hated rival Real Madrid to know the feeling.

The 10-time European champions are currently under investigation for breaching FIFA rules regarding the transfers of players under 18, according to Joaquin Maroto of AS. That's the same violation that earned Barca a transfer ban.

But in a rare display of empathy between two long-standing enemies, Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu told Catalan Radio Station RAC 1 (h/t AS reporter Santi Gimenez) he doesn't want to see Madrid punished: "I want that FIFA re-configure their laws and that Blatter gives the matter some reflection. This could be the Barca Case as was the Bosman Case with the LFP making an official legal complaint about FIFA to the courts. Each club has its own sporting policy. I’m not sure what Real Madrid’s is."

Bartomeu's surprising backing for Barca's great rival could just be another indication of the level of hostility between the Catalan club and FIFA. Since the club's ban was handed down, the battle lines have been drawn.

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Bartomeu refused to attend the Ballon d'Or awards as a mark of protest, per Goal.com writer Stefan Coerts. The latest controversy surrounding Madrid is just one more chance for Barca's president to bemoan FIFA's treatment of his own club.

Barca earned its global transfer ban, set to last 14 months, after breaking rules regarding the purchase of international players under the age of 18. BBC Sport cited FIFA regulations which detail the acceptable circumstances for transfers involving prospects younger than 18.

Those circumstances are governed by the following rules: "Under-18s can move to a club in a different country if their parents move there for non-footballing reasons, if they are from another nation within the European Union or European Economic Area and aged between 16 and 18, or if they live within 100km of the club."

Barca broke those rules and then lost an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Now Madrid are in danger of similar reprisals from football's governing body.

The issue focuses on two pre-teen prospects signed from Venezuela, according to a report from AS writer Carlos Forjanes (h/t Ian McCourt of The Guardian). He notes how the deals were set up through club emissary Miguel Angel Coira, who operates an academy for young players in the Spanish capital.

Meanwhile, Maroto has stated the FIFA investigation will also include examination of Real's deal to sign Japanese prodigy Takuhiro Nakai. He signed for Los Blancos as a nine-year-old in October 2013, per Daily Mirror reporter Jack Lang.

Madrid have already issued a response to the investigation, per the team's official website: "Real Madrid defends the protection and the correct and healthy development of minors via its strict adherence, without exceptions, to the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players, and is in complete agreement with such investigations being carried out to this end."

It's ironic that a club so often associated with buying immediate success, via club president Florentino Perez's notorious "Galacticos" policy, should find itself investigated over the purchase of youth prospects.

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Los Merengues have already claimed the signature of one star under the age of 18 during the winter transfer window. Norwegian Martin Odegaard put his name to a bumper contract worth £80,000 per week, per The Associated Press (h/t Daily Mail).

That deal won't be under scrutiny according to the FIFA guidelines previously outlined by the BBC. But the looming spectre of any ban will hover over any potential deals Madrid's decision-makers might currently be pursuing.

One such deal could involve Athletic Bilbao's gifted young centre-back Aymeric Laporte. Madrid are reportedly vying with Premier League side Manchester United to sign the high-priced France U-21 international.

That's according to Mail Online writer Simon Jones. He has suggested both clubs are willing to meet the player's £31.5 million release clause. Jones believes Los Blancos have "made the first steps."

However, B/R Spanish football writer Guillem Balague has identified United as the front-runner:

In fact, Balague believes Madrid aren't even interested in Laporte at the moment, remaining content with current centre-back options, per Sky Sports. If United are that keen, any FIFA-related issues will likely see Madrid miss out on one of the most talented young defenders in Europe.

Of course, all of that will depend on the governing body's investigation into some of Real's less noticeable transfer dealings.