Barcelona President Josep Maria Bartomeu has decided to terminate the contract of Dir of Football Andoni Zubizarreta. Bartomeu thanked Zubizarreta for his contribution, dedication and professionalism over the last four years. Zubizarreta was the club's goalkeeper from '86-94 (
Barcelona). MARCA reported "shortly prior to his dismissal" as Barça's director of football, Zubizarreta made some "shocking statements" regarding the FIFA sanctions. He "pointed the finger" at Bartomeu as "one of those responsible, if not the man most directly accountable, for the ban handed down to Barcelona." Zubizarreta said, "I assume my responsibility as the person in charge of the football department, but the sporting vice president at the time, Josep Maria Bartomeu, is the one who knew the situation better than anyone" (
MARCA, 1/5).
PUYOL STEPS ASIDE: LA AFICION reported former Barcelona captain Carles Puyol, the team's deputy sports director, "announced via social media that he is leaving the club." Puyol tweeted, "I attach an announcement about my departure."
Puyol explained that he is leaving because he wants to "experience other things from a different perspective and from different places." He also thanked the club "for everything he learned and mentioned that he would like to return in the future" with the purpose of "returning all that has been given to me during these unforgettable years" (
LA AFICION, 1/5).
BARCELONA SCHEDULES MEETING: MARCA reported in a separate piece that on Wednesday at 4pm, Bartomeu will hold a press conference. Later, at 8pm, the club's shareholders will hold an extraordinary meeting to "address as the only topic of the day the sanctions imposed by FIFA" (MARCA, 1/5).
BARTOMEU CONTACTS MONCHI: SPORT reported Bartomeu "wants to sign a prestige sporting director to replace Zubizarreta." For this reason, he has contacted Sevilla Sporting Dir Monchi, who is "responsible for the best signings in Sevilla history." Through third parties, Barcelona's president "has already made a proposal" to Monchi. It has, "at the moment, been rejected." Barcelona's "problem is that for all of 2015 it will not be able to make a single signing" due to FIFA sanctions (SPORT, 1/5).
NEW N.Y. OFFICE: Barcelona announced at its final board meeting of '14 that it will open a new office in N.Y. This decision follows the launch of a branch in Hong Kong to serve the East Asian market. The U.S. is one of the club's most important commercial, digital and media priorities. Barcelona's board also approved the extension of the sponsorship deal with Audi for a further four years until '18. In other decisions, €1.3M ($1.6M) will be spent on the Ciutat Esportiva training ground, including changes to the parking facilities, the creation of a recovery track for the first team players and the building of a new TV studio. Another product of the meeting was the announcement of a friendly in Qatar on Feb. 4 against an opponent to be decided. The game forms part of the agreement with Qatar Sports Investments (Barcelona).
