Will Barcelona's Transfer Ban Affect Next Season?

It was a sad day for Barcelona fans across the world as news that the club will be unable to make any transfers through the next two transfer windows.  The news came today as FIFA handed down the sanctions in response to an investigation that found the Catalan club had broken rules concerning the signing of players under the age of 18.  Though Barca is now appealing this ban, if the ban proves to be unsuccessful, it could be crippling to one of Spain's top teams.
After FIFA place a ban on Barcelona from making any transfers for a year, several questions have arisen.  Will an appeal by the club be successful?  If not, will Barca still be competitive in La Liga and Champions League play?  With several players already making their exit from the Catalan side this summer, how will the team fill those gaps?  These questions and many more have been at the forefront of the debate about if this ban was too severe.

This is not the first ban placed by FIFA, related to the signing of youth players from foreign countries.  Chelsea faced a similar ban a few years ago, and successful appealed the ban.  A successful appeal for Barcelona will be crucial heading into the Summer transfer window.  Barca had already almost completely arranged a deal to sign keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen and hoped to sign a new central defense with Carles Puyol leaving at the end of the season, however, if the ban stands, the club would be unable to make these necessary signings.

Barcelona's fans will remain very hopeful as the club appeal to overturn the ban that will prevent them from making any of the crucial signings that they will need to remain one of Spain, and Europe's top clubs.  If they are unable to strengthen their central defense and sign a keeper, there would be many questions about Barca's ability to compete in La Liga and the Champions League.  The Catalan side should have a fairly good chance of having a successful appeal seeing as the similar appeal on Chelsea in 2009 was overturned.  Fans can now only hope and wait as the appeal process takes place.