Bartomeu and the rest of FC Barcelona executives have resigned
The president of FC Barcelona, Josep Maria Bartomeu, and his entire board of directors have presented their resignation on Tuesday, leaving the club in the hands of an interim board that will call for elections within three months.
The crisis generated by the motion of censure, the third in the history of the club, and the differences in interpretation with the Government of Catalonia regarding the deadlines of the motion in the midst of a pandemic have been the trigger for the situation.
Bartomeu, who was a board member with Joan Laporta (2003-2005) and sports vice president with Sandro Rosell (2010-2014), accessed the position in January 2014 as interim president following Rosell's departure. In July 2015, he was elected president for a term that was due to expire at the end of next June.
The resigned president of Barcelona, in a statement without questions, commented that the decision has been made "in a serene and agreed manner" by all the members of the board and criticized the Government of Catalonia for not having offered "legal coverage" to the club's request to hold the referendum in different locations, for which they had requested an additional fifteen days.
"We asked (the Government of Catalonia) for legal coverage, the same one they asked of the central government, but they have decided not to give us what they asked for. They have chosen to wash their hands in a situation that is uncomfortable for them," he affirmed.
Bartomeu said that Barcelona could not call for the motion of censure in these circumstances. "We had to preserve the health of everyone and we could not place ourselves in the situation between health and a vote. That is why we did not call on the members and we resigned," he insisted.
He assured that the board did not resign after the 2-8 defeat in Lisbon against Bayern Munich in the Champions League out of a sense of responsibility. "The easiest thing was to resign, to leave after that painful defeat, but decisions had to be made and all of this in the midst of an unprecedented global crisis. We could not leave the club in the hands of an interim board with limited powers," he noted.
"Who would have hired a coach or signed players or ensured Messi's continuity or adjusted salaries? As a board, we had the obligation to do it," emphasized the resigned president of Barcelona.
Bartomeu recalled that an early resignation would have caused a power vacuum at a time when major decisions had to be made.
"We did not want to run away despite the personal wear and tear, and it has been suggested that we had things to hide and that we were afraid to support. All false. I argued that our self-criticism makes us stronger, but what we have experienced in recent months goes beyond the limit. We have been disrespected, threatened, me, my family, and also my teammates on the board," he said.
Bartomeu assured that it has been "an honor to serve the club", both as a board member and as president, and that he has always tried to exercise the position "with honesty and responsibility".
"I hope that soon the salary adjustment of the squad can be completed, which, if not completed, can have serious consequences for the club's economy," he stated.
Bartomeu announced that on Monday the requirements were approved to be part of a European Super League of Clubs and emphasized that Barça is "the best club in the world in value".
"We have achieved that ahead of great magnates and states, keeping the club in the hands of the members. We are unique and that means that we do not have to distribute dividends and that the profits are destined for sports and heritage investments. The solidity of the club is indisputable," he argued.
He also stated that it is time to turn the page and for each one to draw their own conclusions. "All I want is to continue enjoying Barça and those who come will have my full support in the future. The members are the ones who decide our future and that is our greatness," he said.