Gaspart calls board meeting in bid to calm Barca crisis
Barcelona president Joan Gaspart called an urgent meeting of club directors on Friday amid rumours that he will announce his intention to hold early presidential elections at the end of the season.
Barcelona president Joan Gaspart called an urgent meeting of club directors on Friday amid rumours that he will announce his intention to hold early presidential elections at the end of the season.
Spanish media speculated that the 58-year-old president would also announce his intention to resign at the meeting which is scheduled to take place on Friday evening.
Board member Ramon Salabert confirmed that the meeting had been called but denied reports that Gaspart had told the board that he would be quitting, although he did hint that there would be changes in the running of the club.
"At the meeting we are not planning to discuss the resignation of the president," Salabert told reporters. "But we are planning to discuss a timetable that will allow us to see a return of tranquility to the club."
Gaspart has been subject to heavy criticism for his running of the club over the past two and a half years and has come under even more pressure in recent months because of Barca's wretched run of form in the league.
The board's recent decision to replace Dutch coach Louis van Gaal, who returned to the club at the start of the season on the personal recommendation of Gaspart, has left the Barcelona president more exposed than ever.
Yugoslav coach Radomir Antic was appointed as van Gaal's replacement at the end of last week, but the move did not bring about an immediate change in fortunes as the Catalan side slumped to their third league defeat in a row.
The 3-0 drubbing at Atletico Madrid meant Barcelona dropped to 15th in the first division just three points above the relegation zone.
The strife at the club continued this week when vice-president Salvador Alemany announced that he would be resigning from his post.
Alemany, who had been on the Barcelona board for 20 years, was the sixth vice-president to quit his post since Gaspart became president in July 2000.
Opponents to Gaspart are attempting to garner support for a motion of no-confidence in his presidency, but he has made it clear on numerous occasions that he is determined to remain in his post.
The president is elected through a vote in which all the members of the club are entitled to take part.
Gaspart gained just under 55 percent of the votes in 2000, 12 percent more than his only opponent Lluis Bassat. Just under 45,000 club members took part in the vote.