Josep Maria Bartomeu, president of FC Barcelona from 2014 to 2020, gave a detailed interview to SPORT addressing ongoing legal cases involving him and the club's financial situation. After resigning in October 2020 and complying with legal advice to remain silent, Bartomeu began speaking publicly after testifying in March 2026.
He criticized the prolonged narrative of an economic "bad inheritance" linked to his administration, explaining that the club's financial losses were primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic. LaLiga estimated the financial impact at over €500 million during 18 months, forcing Barcelona to take loans and reduce professional players' salaries by 14% initially, later seeking an additional 20% reduction.
Regarding accusations of inflating losses by €280 million and losing financial fair play, Bartomeu stated that the current board exaggerated these losses, which were in fact caused by the pandemic. The loss of fair play status was due to classifying the losses as mismanagement rather than pandemic-related, preventing amortization over five years.
Concerning the judicial proceedings, Bartomeu reported that the Supreme Court acquitted him, Sandro Rosell, and the club in the Neymar case, confirming the legality of the signing. On the Negreira case, he asserted that Barcelona never tried to buy referees, with evidence including reports and videos presented in court. He also defended the club in related cases such as Barçagate and transfer commission investigations.
Responding to criticism, Bartomeu recalled winning 13 titles in six years as president and generating €110 million in profits before the €128 million COVID-related losses. He described Messi’s departure as a historic mistake that affected the club both sportingly and economically.
He also expressed regret over the hasty dismissal of Andoni Zubizarreta. Overall, Bartomeu emphasized that he has never been accused of embezzlement, and that the multiple legal cases reflect ongoing internal conflicts within the club.
