Barcelona will act swiftly in appointing a new sporting director, but Josep Maria Bartomeu insists “we want someone with our DNA.”
Sevilla’s Monchi had been heavily linked with the post, which became vacant following Andoni Zubizarreta’s exit earlier in the week, but the President appeared to rule the 46-year-old out of the running, while maintaining that the former goalkeeper could not be held accountable for the club's transfer embargo.
“Zubizarreta was commissioned to restructure the club, but last week there was a change, a loss of confidence, and in the end we thought it was for the best to remove him,” he said at a Press conference.
“He’s a person who has helped Luis Enrique a lot. We’ll announce our new sporting director in the next few days.
“What Zubizarreta said [after Real-Barca] was not the trigger but a drop [in confidence]. I would remind you that there have been more changes over Christmas, another CEO … these shift in cycles happen.
“A loss of confidence is why these things happen. Zubizarreta is a capable and honest man who has done good things, some not so good.
“[Our new sporting director] will be someone who’s already in the club or who has been at the club. We want someone with Barca’s DNA. There have been names mentioned by the Press who don't.
“One thing I want to clarify is that Andoni Zubizarreta had no involvement in the FIFA sanction. He wasn’t one of those who authorised the [illegal] signings.
“I hired Zubizarreta and was his President. I’m the person who had the utmost confidence in him, so it’s logical that I’m the one who decided that he should leave his post.
“We’ll speak with the new sporting director about the duration of his contract. I think it will be after the elections.”
