Barcelona confirmed that "proceedings brought against the club for the misappropriation of funds when signing Neymar have now been closed." The Catalan club reached a settlement worth €5.5M ($5.8M) earlier this year "regarding the tax transfer saga stemming from the Brazil international's arrival from Santos" in '13. Board members voted 14-2, with two abstentions, in favor of the pact "which absolves current President Josep Maria Bartomeu and former President Sandro Rosell of any misdeeds" (ESPN.com, 12/14).
British sixth-tier football club Bath City is "on the lookout for its first-ever general manager as it moves the community ownership process forward." The post of GM "comes with a number of responsibilities" and a £35,000 ($44,200) salary (BATH CHRONICLE, 12/14).
La Liga side Valencia "condemned a group of supporters" for attacking its team bus and insulting players at its training ground in the wake of its latest defeat. The club lost 3-2 at Real Sociedad on Saturday "to make it eight league games without a win." A statement from Valencia said, "There is no justification for the violent attack by a group of ultras, who identify themselves as Ultra Yomus, carried out yesterday at the Ciudad Deportiva" (FOOTBALL ESPANA, 12/13).
