Barcelona VP Mestre quits after Segura criticism

Barcelona Vice-President Jordi Mestre resigned his position on Wednesday, with reports from Spain claiming a division at the club over transfer policy.

Mestre [pictured above, left, with Eric Abidal and Pep Segura], became a Vice-President in 2015, having been a club director since 2010, and is reported by Mundo Deportivo to have been a close ally of President Josep Maria Bartomeu and supporter of sporting director Pep Segura.

However, criticism from other members of the Barca board directed at Segura and Eric Abidal is said by the Catalan Press to have pushed Mestre out of the club, although Sport notes Mestre had planned to leave in 2021 when the current board’s mandate comes to an end.

A meeting of the Barca directors was held on Tuesday, at which Segura was heavily criticised before Mestre offered a strong defence of his colleague, Cadena Ser notes, and a day later, Mestre presented his resignation to Bartomeu.

“Jordi Mestre, until today the Vice-President responsible for sports at the club, presented his irrevocable resignation this afternoon,” Barcelona’s official site confirmed on Wednesday evening.

“[Mestre] has been part of the Board of Directors at the club since the summer of 2010, when, during the presidency of Sandro Rosell, he was appointed the manager responsible for football, Barca B and Barca Women.

“Since January 2014 he was Vice-President responsible for the sporting department, a position he continued to hold after the elections on July 18, 2015.

“[Mestre] wishes to thank the trust placed in him by Presidents Rosell and Bartomeu, and the opportunity of having served and defended the interests of Barcelona.”

Mundo Deportivo deny that Neymar’s proposed return to Camp Nou was the catalyst for Mestre’s departure, and nor was his recent appointment as President of a hotel chain.

La Liga - Club News