5 problems a transfer ban causes Barcelona

Spanish giants Barcelona were hit by a one-year transfer ban fromfootball's governingbodyFIFAonWednesday for "serious" breaches of rules inacquiring under-age players.Here, AFP sports looks at what problems the Catalans could face should the sanctionbe upheld.- Can't replace Valdes or PuyolThis summer's transfer window was already set to the be the most important inBarca's recent history as captain Carles Puyol and veteran goalkeeper Victor Valdeshave indicated their intention to leave the club in June.Twenty-one-year-old German international 'keeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen was on theverge of completing his move from Borussia Monchengladbach to replace Valdeswith another three signings planned to boost the depth of the squad ahead of nextseason.Barca are already very short of options at centre-back and the inability to find asuccessor to Puyol will put enormous pressure on the club's vaunted La Masiaacademy.- Another blow to the club's battered reputation Just a few years ago Barcelona enjoyed worldwide acclaim for their "more than aclub" motto as they had UNICEF rather than a commercial sponsor on their shirtsand produced one of the best teams the world has ever seen under Pep Guardiolalargely with players from La Masia.However, Guardiola's departure has coincided with a commercial sponsorshipagreement with Qatar Airways and the controversial signing of Brazilian starNeymar which led to Sandro Rosell resigning as the club's president and Barca beingcharged withtaxfraud.-CampNoureferendum up in the airThe news comes at the worst possible time for Barca's embattled board, led by newpresident Josep Maria Bartomeu as their proposal for a 600 million euro ($827million) refurbishment of the Camp Nou will go to a vote of the club's members onSaturday.It was already expected that the referendum could allow the Barca support to voicetheir displeasure at the board who refused to call new presidential elections despiteRosell's resignation in January.- Huge distraction at most important time of the seasonFIFA's bombshell fell barely 12 hours after Barca had drawn at home to AtleticoMadrid in the first-leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday.Gerardo Martino's men also trail leaders Atletico by just a point with seven games togo in La Liga and face Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final on April 16.The players and coaching staff must once again block out negative news off the fieldto concentrate on their fight for titles on three fronts.- Could rob La Masia of future talentWhilst the majority of those who graduate from Barca's academy come from the localCatalan region, Barca have never been adverse to acquiring talent from outwithSpain at a very young age.Most famously of all, four-time World Player of the Year Lionel Messi left his nativeArgentine to join Barca aged 13.FIFA's clampdown may scare off Barca's future attempts to discover a new Messi. Source: AFP