Jamie Carragher addressed recent bankruptcy headlines by comparing his financial problems with Barcelona’s during live Champions League coverage.

The former Liverpool defender returned to the CBS Sports studio alongside Kate Scott, Thierry Henry and Micah Richards for the opening round of the competition.

While discussing which clubs he wanted to see challenge for the trophy, Carragher explained that Barcelona should be competing among Europe’s strongest teams again.

“They’ve had their financial problems, haven’t they?” he said, before pausing and adding: “Haven’t we all?”

Richards and Scott immediately burst into laughter. Henry appeared momentarily stunned, while Carragher smiled after introducing his recent tax difficulties into an otherwise conventional assessment of Barcelona’s prospects.

The remark followed reports that HM Revenue and Customs had filed a bankruptcy petition against Carragher over an unpaid tax bill. The petition became public on 27 August, although it did not mean that he had been declared bankrupt.

At the time, a spokesperson for Carragher described it as a private tax matter that should have been resolved sooner and said steps were being taken to settle it.

Carragher indicated during the CBS broadcast that the issue had subsequently been dealt with, telling the panel: “All paid, all done.”

Most pundits use Barcelona’s finances to explain player registrations, transfer restrictions and the club’s recent difficulties in Europe.

Carragher found another application.

Having remained publicly quiet while his representative handled the original reports, he used Barcelona’s financial situation to acknowledge the story himself and provide an update without briefly interrupting the football analysis.

Barcelona’s finances remain complicated. Carragher’s tax matter, according to Carragher, is now paid and done.

It took one of Europe’s most indebted clubs to make the subject feel comparatively manageable.