Covid-19 Palaver: Six Barcelona board members resign @ midnight

Barcelona’s problems hit the roof top amid the coronavirus crisis with six members of President Josep Maria Bartomeu’s board resigning on Thursday night.

Two of the club’s four vice-presidents – Emili Rousaud and Enrique Tombas – as well as directors Silvio Elias, Josep Pont, Jordi Calsamiglia and Maria Texidor have all walked out over his handling of the club while coronavirus continues to ravage Spain.

The letter of their decisions, as reported by La Vanguardia, translated read: ‘We would like to communicate that the directors signed below have informed President Bartomeu of our decision to irrevocably resign our positions at the club.

‘We have reached this point and see no way to reverse the ways business is managed at the club ahead of important challanges in the future and especially post-pandemic.

‘We want to stress our disappointment over the unfortunate incident with social media accounts, known as “Barcagate” in the press.

‘We ask that once the current audit is carried out by PWC we want to ensure the accountability will be handed to those it corresponds to.

‘Lastly, although it’s the least important thing, we want to thank the directors and express our gratitude to our colleagues on the board who have dedicated their energy and strength to the good of Barcelona Football Club. We would like to thank the executives and the employees of the club for your support and excellent work during this time. It has been our pleasure to serve out beloved Barca.’

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Star man Lionel Messi is at loggerheads with Bartomeu over him and his team-mates’ pay cut while the virus has put action on hold, only a few weeks after his fury at director Eric Abidal for publicly calling out the team, while Bartomeu was forced to deny orchestrating a social media campaign against Messi and other top names.