Athletic Bilbao coach Ernesto Valverde said Barcelona midfielder Dani Olmo being unavailable to play in Wednesday's Spanish Super Cup semifinal was a boost for his team.
Financially-struggling Barca are frantically battling to get the Spanish playmaker licensed for the second half of the season after his registration ran out at the end of 2024 and earlier efforts were rebuffed twice in court.
The Catalan club took their case to Spain's top sports court on Tuesday but until there is a verdict or a temporary measure grants them new licences, are set to be without Olmo and striker Pau Victor.
Both have travelled to Saudi Arabia for the the clash against Copa del Rey winners Athletic but currently cannot feature.
"Olmo is an extraordinary player and if he can't play tomorrow, for us, well what can I say?" former Barca coach Valverde told reporters Tuesday.
"I'm sorry for the situation he's in, because he's a player who if he can play, would bring prestige to the competition, but if he doesn't play against us, so much the better."
Despite winning two La Liga titles Valverde was sacked by Barcelona in January 2020 after a semifinal defeat in the Spanish Super Cup by Atletico Madrid at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, where Wednesday's match also takes place.
"I know I played my last Barca match as coach here, in the same stadium," added Valverde.
"It happened, I am in another place now, very happy and tomorrow is a different game."
Spanish champions Real Madrid face Real Mallorca on Thursday in the second semifinal.