Barcelona confirm presidential elections for March 2021

Barcelona have confirmed their presidential elections have been brought forward to March 2021, having originally been scheduled for next summer.

The club’s president Josep Maria Bartomeu is coming to the end of his term as president next year and cannot stand for re-election due to club rules on the position.

Bartomeu has held the position for two terms but he will nominate a ‘continuity’ candidate who is close to the incumbent and comes from a side of the club’s board which is viewed as more conservative.

The Catalan entrepreneur started in the role in 2014, following the resignation of Sandro Rosell – who was his close friend and associate who served as his vice-president.

Another prospective presidential candidate is Victor Font while former club president Joan Laporta is also thought to be considering a run for the position.

All candidates come from different sections within the club’s hierarchy, with differing views on how the club should be run and what it stands for.

“The FC Barcelona Board of Directors, assuming its responsibility for the sporting situation that the club are experiencing, have agreed that the date for the next presidential elections will be the first matchday past March 15, 2021,” read a club statement on Monday.

“The Board understand that an immediate call for elections is not feasible, given that the league season will begin on the weekend of September 12, 2020, and the situation arising from the COVID-19 crisis -both economically and socially.

“Consequently, the club will continue to implement the plan to reverse the sporting and economic situation, based on profound changes to the first team, plus a redefined budget to deal with the new situation caused by COVID-19, before the end of the current mandate.”

Tags Josep Maria Bartomeu
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