Walking through the Dark: FC Barcelona and the Forced Closure of 1925

Abstract

This article explores the forced closure of FC Barcelona in June 1925. When the club resumed activity six months later, its economic situation was even stronger than it had been before the suspension. The aim of this paper is to reveal the factors underlying this course of events. The strategic factors that allowed the club to remedy the situation included the close links between the fans and the institution, which went beyond purely sporting aspects; the club's capacity to adapt its governance model to the new circumstances; and its ability to influence the bodies governing the sport.