Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu resigned from the club on Tuesday ahead of a vote of no confidence that was due to be held next month after some 20,000 fans signed a petition demanding that he step down. The rest of the board of directors also resigned.

“It’s a thought-out, serene, informed decision” to resign, Bartomeu said in a televised speech.

Bartomeu, 57, has been facing growing resentment in the last year due to the club’s worsening finances and the team’s decline on the pitch, which came to a head with their 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals in August.

He has been widely criticised after talisman forward Lionel Messi requested a transfer following the Champions League humiliation and was facing a vote of no confidence from the club’s ‘socios’.

He had tried to convince the Catalan government to scrap the censure vote due to the coronavirus pandemic but it would not budge.

Bartomeu called the government’s decision irresponsible in his speech, while thanking the club and saying he could not have resigned earlier.

“The easiest thing after the Champions (League defeat) was to resign, but one had to take decisions amid an unprecedented global crisis,” he said, adding that later on, in the wake of the Messi spat, he could not let the club be run by external, temporary figures.

“Who would have ensured that Messi stayed? Who would have hired a new coach?” said Bartomeu, who took over at Barcelona from Sandro Rosell in 2014.

Messi handed Barca an official notice in August of his desire to terminate his contract before eventually deciding to stay for this season, the last on his current deal, because he did not want to face a legal battle with the club.

After rowing back on his decision to leave, the Argentine continued to attack Bartomeu in a September interview, when he described his stewardship of the club as a “disaster”. He also criticised Barca for their treatment of Luis Suarez, who left the club for Atletico Madrid.

On the pitch, Barca’s struggles have continued into the new campaign after they ended last season trophyless.

Having appointed their former player Ronald Koeman as manager in the close season, Barca have won only two of their opening five league games and lost 3-1 at home to rivals Real Madrid on Saturday.

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu resigned from the club on Tuesday ahead of a vote of no confidence that was due to be held next month after some 20,000 fans signed a petition demanding that he step down.

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu resigned from the club on Tuesday ahead of a vote of no confidence that was due to be held next month after some 20,000 fans signed a petition demanding that he step down. The rest of the board of directors also resigned. “It’s a thought-out, serene, informed decision” to resign, Bartomeu said in a televised speech. Bartomeu, 57, has been facing growing resentment in the last year due to the club’s worsening finances and the team’s decline on the pitch, which came to a head with their 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals in August. He has been widely criticised after talisman forward Lionel Messi requested a transfer following the Champions League humiliation and was facing a vote of no confidence from the club’s ‘socios’. He had tried to convince the Catalan government to scrap the censure vote due to the coronavirus pandemic but it would not budge. Bartomeu called the government’s decision irresponsible in his speech, while thanking the club and saying he could not have resigned earlier. “The easiest thing after the Champions (League defeat) was to resign, but one had to take decisions amid an unprecedented global crisis,” he said, adding that later on, in the wake of the Messi spat, he could not let the club be run by external, temporary figures. “Who would have ensured that Messi stayed? Who would have hired a new coach?” said Bartomeu, who took over at Barcelona from Sandro Rosell in 2014. Messi handed Barca an official notice in August of his desire to terminate his contract before eventually deciding to stay for this season, the last on his current deal, because he did not want to face a legal battle with the club. After rowing back on his decision to leave, the Argentine continued to attack Bartomeu in a September interview, when he described his stewardship of the club as a “disaster”. He also criticised Barca for their treatment of Luis Suarez, who left the club for Atletico Madrid. On the pitch, Barca’s struggles have continued into the new campaign after they ended last season trophyless. Having appointed their former player Ronald Koeman as manager in the close season, Barca have won only two of their opening five league games and lost 3-1 at home to rivals Real Madrid on Saturday.

Barcelona president Bartomeu resigns after Messi row

Former Barcelona striker Luis Suarez has revealed that he was reduced to tears by the Catalan giants' treatment to him in the final weeks.&nbsp;

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“Those days were very difficult. I cried because of what I was having to go through,” Suarez told the Uruguay national team’s official media after scoring in Thursday’s 2-1 win over Chile in a World Cup qualifier.

“I didn’t take the club’s message that they were looking for a solution for me in order to mix things up very well. I was hurt most of all by the way they did things, because one has to accept it when a cycle comes to an end.”

In six years as a Barca forward Suarez became third all-time top scorer with 198 goals he lifted four La Liga titles, four domestic cups and the 2015 Champions League with the Catalans before leaving for Atletico Madrid.&nbsp;

He was forced out with one year left on his contract after being told by new coach Ronald Koeman he was no longer in the team’s plans.&nbsp;

“Not everyone knows what happened but the worst thing was going to training and being sent to a different group from everyone else because I was not allowed to play in practice matches,” Suarez said.

“My wife could see how unhappy I was and she wanted to see me smile again and when the chance came to join Atletico I had no doubts.”

The striker, 33, gave a tearful farewell news conference the day before signing for Atletico while Lionel Messi, his old strike partner, hit out at the club’s treatment of the Uruguayan.

“I wasn’t surprised that Messi supported me publicly because I know him too well. He knew the pain I was going through, the feeling that I was being kicked out was what hurt me the most,” added Suarez.

“The way they did things was not right and Leo knows how me and my family suffered.”

Former Barcelona striker Luis Suarez has revealed that he was reduced to tears by the Catalan giants' treatment to him in the final weeks. Also read: Footballer Rashford tops list of UK honours for key virus workers “Those days were very difficult.

Former Barcelona striker Luis Suarez has revealed that he was reduced to tears by the Catalan giants' treatment to him in the final weeks. Also read: Footballer Rashford tops list of UK honours for key virus workers “Those days were very difficult. I cried because of what I was having to go through,” Suarez told the Uruguay national team’s official media after scoring in Thursday’s 2-1 win over Chile in a World Cup qualifier. “I didn’t take the club’s message that they were looking for a solution for me in order to mix things up very well. I was hurt most of all by the way they did things, because one has to accept it when a cycle comes to an end.” In six years as a Barca forward Suarez became third all-time top scorer with 198 goals he lifted four La Liga titles, four domestic cups and the 2015 Champions League with the Catalans before leaving for Atletico Madrid. He was forced out with one year left on his contract after being told by new coach Ronald Koeman he was no longer in the team’s plans. “Not everyone knows what happened but the worst thing was going to training and being sent to a different group from everyone else because I was not allowed to play in practice matches,” Suarez said. “My wife could see how unhappy I was and she wanted to see me smile again and when the chance came to join Atletico I had no doubts.” The striker, 33, gave a tearful farewell news conference the day before signing for Atletico while Lionel Messi, his old strike partner, hit out at the club’s treatment of the Uruguayan. “I wasn’t surprised that Messi supported me publicly because I know him too well. He knew the pain I was going through, the feeling that I was being kicked out was what hurt me the most,” added Suarez. “The way they did things was not right and Leo knows how me and my family suffered.”

'I cried': Luis Suarez over treatment in final days at Barcelona

With Lionel Messi deciding to stay at Barcelona, a campaign has been started to force a vote of no-confidence against club president Josep Maria Bartomeu. ‘Mes que una mocio’ (More than a motion), the group supported by next year’s presidential candidates have started a campaign to oust the Barcelona boss and have gathered already 7.500 signatures.&nbsp;

To successfully trigger the members voting process, the campaign needs to acquire at least 16,520 votes by September 17. If the campaign reaches the target and the vote of no-confidence motion is held then two thirds of the club’s 150,000 members would need to vote against Bartomeu to kick him out of the club and trigger an imminent election.&nbsp;

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Notably, Bartomeu cannot stand again for elections as he has served two terms. He has called elections for March 2021, three months ahead of the schedule following Barcelona’s humiliating 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in UEFA Champions League in August.

The motion of no-confidence was filed by presidential candidate Jordi Farre on August 26, one day after club’s all-time high scorer and six-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi sent the burofax saying he wished to leave the Catalan club.

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The Argentinian maestro then on Friday said that he would stay for this season as he didn’t want to drag Barcelona – the club he loves – to the court. Messi went on to say that he was telling the Barca chief that he wants to leave the club since the start of the season but his only mistake was not to say it officially.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Messi has returned back to training on Monday and has been working on his fitness alone.&nbsp;

With Lionel Messi deciding to stay at Barcelona, a campaign has been started to force a vote of no-confidence against club president Josep Maria Bartomeu. ‘Mes que una mocio’ (More than a motion), the group supported by next year’s presidential candidates have started a campaign to oust the Barcelona boss and have gathered already 7.

With Lionel Messi deciding to stay at Barcelona, a campaign has been started to force a vote of no-confidence against club president Josep Maria Bartomeu. ‘Mes que una mocio’ (More than a motion), the group supported by next year’s presidential candidates have started a campaign to oust the Barcelona boss and have gathered already 7.500 signatures. To successfully trigger the members voting process, the campaign needs to acquire at least 16,520 votes by September 17. If the campaign reaches the target and the vote of no-confidence motion is held then two thirds of the club’s 150,000 members would need to vote against Bartomeu to kick him out of the club and trigger an imminent election. ALSO READ: PSG star Kylian Mbappe tests positive for COVID-19 Notably, Bartomeu cannot stand again for elections as he has served two terms. He has called elections for March 2021, three months ahead of the schedule following Barcelona’s humiliating 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in UEFA Champions League in August. The motion of no-confidence was filed by presidential candidate Jordi Farre on August 26, one day after club’s all-time high scorer and six-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi sent the burofax saying he wished to leave the Catalan club. ALSO READ: England's Foden, Greenwood sent home after 'naive' virus breach The Argentinian maestro then on Friday said that he would stay for this season as he didn’t want to drag Barcelona – the club he loves – to the court. Messi went on to say that he was telling the Barca chief that he wants to leave the club since the start of the season but his only mistake was not to say it officially. Meanwhile, Messi has returned back to training on Monday and has been working on his fitness alone.

Messi saga: Campaign to remove Barcelona boss Josep Bartomeu gathers pace