La Liga head Tebas criticises Barcelona’s outgoing chief Bartomeu
La Liga president Javier Tebas said Barcelona's departed chief Josep Bartomeu, is ignorant about the football industry and described the proposed European Premier League as a "weak and imaginary competition".
Tebas made those comments on Twitter yesterday, after Bartomeu revealed that they had accepted a proposal to join a new league comprising top European clubs following his resignation as president of the Catalan club.
"I can announce some extraordinary news," Bartomeu said.
"(On Monday), the board of directors approved the requirements to participate in a future European Super League, a project promoted by the big clubs in Europe."
Last week, Sky News reported that a US$6 billion (S$8.17b) funding package had been put in place for a breakaway league, that would feature up to 18 clubs from Europe's top five leagues, and is backed by Liverpool and Manchester United.
In response to Bartomeu's announcement, Tebas tweeted: "Unfortunate @jmbartomeu statement on his last day about @fcbarcelona joining a weak and imaginary competition which would be their ruin.
"It confirms his ignorance about the football industry. Sad end for a president with successes and lately many mistakes."
Bartomeu resigned from the club 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.
The agreement to join the proposed European league would need to ratified by the club's members.
On his decision to quit, Bartomeu said: "It's a thought-out, serene, informed decision."
The 57-year-old has been facing growing resentment in the last year due to the club's worsening finances and the team's decline on the pitch.
Victor Font and Joan Laporta are among the candidates expected to run to be his successor. - REUTERS, AFP
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