Cadena SER radio reported Barcelona President Josep Maria Bartomeu claimed in court last month that the club's signing of Neymar in '13 rather than '14 was a request by former Manager Tito Vilanova, according to MARCA. During his questioning, Bartomeu stated it was Vilanova's decision to "sign Neymar a year ahead of schedule, which pushed up the cost of the deal and led to tax fraud and fraudulent administration charges" being brought against the club. Bartomeu reportedly said, "In 2013, first-team coach Tito Vilanova asked us to bring in Neymar a year ahead of schedule because the team needed a player like him. Tito was undergoing chemotherapy in New York. We went to visit him and he said he wanted to make a change. He said he didn't want [David] Villa and wanted Neymar instead. [Former Barcelona President Sandro] Rosell headed up the negotiations with Neymar's father." Bartomeu said "up to three times" that it was Vilanova's decision to bring in Neymar "a year earlier," which made signing him €42M more expensive. Bartomeu "also tried to dodge any responsibility for the deal, saying it was Rosell who negotiated the signing in secret and that he had no part in it" (MARCA, 3/27). The INT'L BUSINESS TIMES' Eduardo Fernandez-Abascal reported Cadena Ser disclosed a video of the "interrogation of Bartomeu in the court last month." Bartomeu: "The plan for Neymar was to finish the World Cup in Brazil and then move to Barcelona but we wanted to carry out the wishes of the coach. Sandro Rosell, who had a good relationship with his father, spoke to him and we saw how they'd forged a deal to bring him to Barcelona a year ahead of what was originally scheduled." Spanish media "suggest that the current Barcelona president is trying to hide himself from any guilt by blaming the former manager" (IB TIMES, 3/27).
