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Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu to face competition in next election

By Chiranjib Ghosh

BARCELONA, SPAIN - JUNE 30: The F.C.Barcelona president, Josep Maria Bartomeu, showing the F.C.Barcelona schools in the World, during F.C.Barcelona balance season, June 30, 2016 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Joan Cros Garcia/Corbis via Getty Images)
BARCELONA, SPAIN - JUNE 30: The F.C.Barcelona president, Josep Maria Bartomeu, showing the F.C.Barcelona schools in the World, during F.C.Barcelona balance season, June 30, 2016 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Joan Cros Garcia/Corbis via Getty Images) /
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Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu may not be unopposed in 2021

Josep Maria Bartomeu, president of FC Barcelona, poses for a photograph following a Bloomberg Television interview in London, U.K., on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018. Barcelona is likely to reach its goal of 1 billion euros ($1.2 billion) in sales ahead of schedule as income from broadcast rights and tickets surges, Bartomeu said. Photographer: Chris J. Ratcliffe/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Josep Maria Bartomeu, president of FC Barcelona, poses for a photograph following a Bloomberg Television interview in London, U.K., on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018. Barcelona is likely to reach its goal of 1 billion euros ($1.2 billion) in sales ahead of schedule as income from broadcast rights and tickets surges, Bartomeu said. Photographer: Chris J. Ratcliffe/Bloomberg via Getty Images /

Josep Maria Bartomeu stabilised the club and its financial condition after Sandro Rosell left the club in a lurch after the controversy about Neymar’s supposed €60 million move from Santos. But that does not mean that he has chosen the correct policy to run the club.

There is basically no structure at the club. New positions have been created and old ones have been made defunct, and many sporting directors have come and gone, most notably club legends Andoni Zubizarreta and Carles Puyol.

Bartomeu’s decision to hire Robert Fernández was an absolute and total failure. He spent too much money on useless signings, like André Gomes, Arda Turan, Paco Alcácer and Aleix Vidal. In fact, Fernández spent €141 million on players who couldn’t and hasn’t done much at the club.

He also stalled the promotion of La Masia graduates like Sergi Palencia, Carles Aleñá, Marc Cucurella and Denis Suárez. And not to mention, he let go of Álex Grimaldo, who is one of the hottest prospects in the Premeira Liga.

Needless to say, even though he signed players like Ousmane Dembélé and Philippe Coutinho, the pairing of Robert Fernández and Urbano Ortega was a complete train wreck. They never had a set game plan going into a transfer window, and even last summer, which was deemed to be successful, was totally unorganised.

Josep Maria Bartomeu has made the right call by appointing the inexperienced former player Éric Abidal as the technical secretary and the experienced negotiator Ramón Planes as his assistant. But it might be too late to save his job.

Last season, Agustí Benedito moved for a vote of no confidence against Bartomeu, but failed to get enough support for motion in time. And so, snap elections were called off and Bartomeu retained his position as president of the club.

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But the 55-year old will not be re-elected unopposed when the next elections are held in 2021. Club member and prominent businessman Víctor Font has submitted his candidature for the next club elections.

And he might have got himself the key to winning the election. Potential future head coach Xavi has declared his support for Font by liking the post where the entrepreneur publicised the manifesto for his campaign.

Ernesto Valverde has done well so far, and he is expected to continue for at least two more seasons. But when the next elections come around, he may not be around anymore. And if Víctor Font happens to win, Xavi may a shot at taking over as manager.

Xavi has a contract at Al-Sadd, where he will continuing till 2020. If he retires when his contract expires, he can take a year to promote Font’s campaign and ready himself for a managerial role for the first time in his life, and then become head coach if Font is elected.

Next: Arthur’s transfer will be moved forwards to this summer

It would be good for the club if Víctor Font succeeds Josep Maria Bartomeu. He can clean up his predecessor’s mess, organise the club’s sporting structure and promote La Masia by hiring Xavi as the manager of the first-team, or even let Valverde to continue and hire Xavi as B team coach.

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