As a democratic club, Barcelona can often get bogged down in politics, and politics can lead to all manner of incredible plots and schemes.
Some of it often loses sight of both morals and the matter at hand. Barcelona’s former board are currently being investigated by the Mossos, Catalan police, for the Barcagate incident. The club reportedly hired an agency to attack and disparage various figures online, in order to lower public opinion of them and relieve them of power within the fanbase. The payments to this agency were then divided into smaller amounts so that those involved did not have to receive board approval.
During that investigation, the Mossos have found proof that Barcelona directors, former General Director Oscar Grau, and former Head of Legal Roman Gomez Ponti, held conversations with the deliberate intention of leaking the contracts of footballers. Included were Gerard Pique and Lionel Messi, who have both now left the club.
This in itself is a crime – ‘Revealing Secrets’ – but it is not yet clear whether it will bring prosecution, as it was Barcagate being investigated rather than the leaking of contracts.
This is just the latest scandalous detail to emerge from Josep Maria Bartomeu’s presidency, to the point where many have referred to him as the worst President in Blaugrana history. In many instances, the decision-making looked as if he were operating and against the interests of Barcelona, and in this case, there is evidence.
