Bartomeu Defends Tenure In Charge Of Barcelona
Former Barcelona president Jose Maria Bartomeu has defended his tenure in charge of the club.
Bartomeu resigned as Barcelona president in October 2020 while facing a vote of no confidence and has since been replaced by Joan Laporta.
Bartomeu has been blamed by Laporta for Barcelona’s financial predicament which has seen the club in debt of more than €1b and lose star man Lionel Messi to Paris Saint Germain.
The 58-year-old nevertheless won four La Liga titles, one UEFA Champions League and four Copa del Reys while in the Barcelona hot seat.
"Has our management been disastrous? I know it's a phrase that's been running but our management has been very serious and responsible," he told Mundo Deportivo.
"It was rigorous with a project and strategic plan that was established in 2015.
"Sports management and the entire heritage project prevailed, economically and socially. We've done many projects and we're the board that's been most active.
"But as of March 2020, that serious and rigorous management was truncated by the appearance of the coronavirus pandemic, which drastically decreased revenues.
"From then on we suffered from a deep cut."
Asked again about Laporta's comments, Bartomeu said: "It has not been disastrous. There have been benefits of about €185m. It has been a good management.
"Forbes magazine said that in 2020 the club was the most valuable in the world."
