Bartomeu calls for early presidential elections for FC Barcelona

by BarrileteCosmico Wed Jan 07, 2015 4:06 pm

At the press conference going in right now cheers

Live comment stream of the conference here, in Spanish: http://www.mundodeportivo.com/20150107/fc-barcelona/sigue-en-directo-la-rueda-de-prensa-de-josep-m-bartomeu_54423075804.html

So far:

"We have decided to call early elections at the end of the season.

"We want to dial down a notch the tension at the club. It's a club that works well socially and our team is competing in all competitions.

"I ask fair play to the candidates, the same one we practice. We are playing for titles and success.

"I said the past January that I wanted to finish my mandate, in 2016, but I think the club needs tranquility.

"I have been a defender of Zubizarreta all these years, but as president I had to make this decision.

"I have the support of all my board members.

"The club needs stability, the level of tension in not adequate, it's disproportionate.

"We have looked for a new sporting director, there's no hurry.

"These last few weeks we have lost our confidence in Zubizarreta.

"I hope we continue to go to go on the same path we're going [BC's comments: Laughing

]

"Luis Enrique is redoing the team, working and there is no doubt he is the right person for the job.

"I never confirm nor deny any names. We are looking for a sporting director, but I will not say anything about anyone.

"Disciplinary case on Messi? It's completely false. I don't know who reported this, but they did it with ill intentions, to hurt the team. We can't deny everything, but this is a grave mistake and we deny it.

"We will follow all steps towards the elections by the book.

"We will disclose the exact dates of the elections at a later time.

"I have talked to Messi and Luis Enrique. These are things that happen in the changing room and we won't intervene, even though I do talk to the players and things are well.

"Zubizarreta's words on Canal Plus were not decisive, although they were another straw on the camel's back.

"Zubizarreta has done some things very well and others not so much, but I appreciate him, but the confidence has deteriorated and there will be another person that does things differently.

"If Messi is happy? There are some things that we don't even bother explaining. The Leo of this year is not the year of last year. This one has ambition and it's a good news for cules that Leo is like he is now.

"We are not looking for anyone from the outside for the new sporting director. We want someone that knows Barca, our club, our way of playing, we look for this profile.

"There are people that have associated Zubizarreta with the FIFA sanction. I have already stated that he has no responsibility in this matter. He was not the one that did any of those signings.

"The new sporting director is or has been at the club. We want someone with Barca DNA. [BC's comments: CESC CONFIRMED :bow:

]

"There are no doubts about Luis Enrique's project.

"There has been a disproportionate tension that affects the club, that's why we're calling for elections. The most important thing for us is to lower the tension.

"Calling for elections before a board meeting? The board meeting scheduled for today has been cancelled, obviously, we have all already talked.

"I was the one to sign Zubizarreta, he was a request from Pep and I had to be the one to fire him. I was the one to trust in him, for so long, if we have lost confidence in him then I must be held responsible.

"Advancing the elections will give us a year of tranquility that the team will need.

"It's not easy being Barca's president. You must make decisions with a cool head.

"To resign? No. I wanted to finish in 2016, I like the mandates that are finished, not only at Barca but at any institution.

"If Messi dominates the team? He is the best player in the world, but he has several stars right next to him... Barca's squad is incredible. Messi is not the life of the club but he is a fundamental piece of it.

"I have not talked to Rosell.

"I have talked to Messi, as well as other players because it is my responsibility to see how they are doing, but I'll never say what we talked about. As president of Barca I am with the players, I want them to win the most possible.

"Carles Puyol had told me he would leave before the decision to fire Zubizarreta.

"The whistling at Messi's tribute [for all time La Liga top scorer]? The fans have a right to express themselves and I have also been a socio and have chosen to clap or not. We always want the socio to be the one to decide.

"If one day we receive an offer for Leo, what would I do? There wouldn't be anything to do. Leo Messi has bet for Barca for many years, he is the best in the world. I don't manage Barca as if it were a multi-national. Barca is a cub of 150 socios and doesn't have anything to do with a company.

"I care about what the socio thinks. And amongst the streets I don't see them unappy but happy.

"Messi is the leader and we want him to keep being the leader.

"There is a very motivated team, with a lot of hope to do things right. Messi is the leader of this team.

"The club has been contracting kids as it always had. The documentation was not done properly. But there is no danger to the model of the club, we will keep working as always.

"Leo Messi is very happy at Barcelona. I see how he plays, how he is, committed, he wants to win. They're all very motivated, not just Messi.

"We don't know who initiated the FIFA complaint. FIFA has not told us.

"Is there another candidate within the board? Any board member is free to present himself. We will see all this when the elections are called for. I ask all candidates respect and responsibility.

"Luis Enrique has a contract until 2016, the projects are not made in a matter of months. He has done a very good job and we are satisfied with his work.

"I will not go to the Ballon d'Or gala. Once the sanction is over we will have formal relationships with FIFA. Not now.

"I'm not sure if it will lower the tension, but I do ask for responsibility.

by futbol Wed Jan 07, 2015 4:07 pm

Bartomeu (president): "There will be held elections at the end of the season to lower the pression there is now around the club."

Messi. Proud

by futbol Wed Jan 07, 2015 4:07 pm

by Jonathan28 Wed Jan 07, 2015 4:10 pm

by Hapless_Hans Wed Jan 07, 2015 4:11 pm

Messi ffs

We need to come up with a superhero name for him.
By day he is the world's best footballer, by night he rids the world of villains via clicks on instagram Molenation