Revealed: How Real Madrid president Florentino Perez helped bitter rivals Barcelona extend Dani Olmo and Pau Victor's registrations despite intense La Liga title battle

A report from Catalunya Radio (h/t Football Espana) revealed how Real Madrid president Perez aided Barcelona with the registrations of Olmo and Victor earlier this year. The registration saga of Olmo and Victor caused quite an uproar in Spanish football, with Barcelona engaging in a legal war with La Liga and RFEF after the league unregistered the duo at the start of the January transfer window.

Speaking at a press conference in January, Barca president Joan Laporta expressed his gratitude to Real Madrid for taking a neutral stand over the registration issue, after other La Liga clubs such as Sevilla and Atletico Madrid opposed the re-registration of Olmo and Victor.

"I am not going to explain the conversation I had with Florentino and other presidents. Yes, I can tell you that I am grateful to the clubs that have not taken a position against our decision. It was an atmosphere of harmony with Florentino, knowing that we had everything more or less already arranged with the issue of registrations," Laporta said.

Catalunya Radio reported that Perez allegedly contacted Jose Manuel Rodriguez Uribes, the President of the High Court for Sport, in an effort to influence the decision on the injunction requested by Barcelona. This version of events is supported by La Liga President Javier Tebas and other league executives, who are convinced that Perez’s intervention was key in enabling Barcelona to re-register Olmo and Victor.

The two Spanish heavyweights secured their passage to the Champions League quarter-finals earlier this week. Barcelona beat Benfica 4-1 on aggregate, while Real Madrid prevailed on penalties against Atletico Madrid (4-2 on penalties, 2-2 after extra time) after the two teams could not be separated.

In the league, Hansi Flick's troops sit atop the league table and will take on Atletico on Sunday. Madrid, meanwhile, find themselves in second place, level on points with Barcelona, albeit having played one more game. They will visit Villarreal on Saturday.