Former Barcelona President Speaks on Start of Financial Woes, Messi’s Exit, Legacy

The man many deem responsible for Barcelona’s financial downfall defended his presidential term in a tell-all interview.

Josep Maria Bartomeu was Barcelona’s president from 2014 until his resignation in 2020. | Lluis Gene/AFP/Getty Images

Former Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu is back in the spotlight as he broke his silence to speak on a variety of subjects that defined his tenure, including the club’s economic downfall and Lionel Messi’s infamous “burofax” saga.

Few prominent figures in Barcelona’s modern era are more scrutinized than Bartomeu, who was president from 2014 until his widely celebrated resignation in Oct. 2020.

To this day, many point to him as the person most responsible for Barcelona’s dreadful economic situation, including successor and newly re-elected president Joan Laporta, who’s repeatedly stated he “saved Barça” from the precarious situation the club was in upon his return to office in 2021.

Bartomeu gave a lengthy interview to El Matí de Catalunya Ràdio, where he defended his tenure and tried to give explanations for the most controversial topics of his presidency. The club’s economic issues where atop of mind, and Bartomeu seems to blame two specific things for Barcelona nearly falling into bankruptcy at the end of his reign.

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Two Factors Responsible for Barcelona’s Economic Issues

Neymar Jr. (right) leaving Barcelona for PSG in 2017 had major repercussions. | Antonio Borga/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

The later stages of Bartomeu’s presidency saw Barcelona’s wage bill rise meteorically to a point where it became the face of the club’s economic issues. From Bartomeu’s point of view, this situation was sparked when PSG unloaded $263 million (€222 million) to trigger Neymar Jr.’s release clause in the summer of 2017.

“The wage-bill skyrocketed as a result of Neymar’s departure,” Bartomeu said. “PSG steals him from us paying the release clause. From then on, we started struggling to prevent other players from leaving, especially since state-owned clubs and the Premier League have immense financial power.

“As a result, there are certain contract renewals we did to prevent players from leaving. More than salaries, it was necessary to raise the release clauses.”

But salaries for players such as Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba also increased upon their renewals, along with new release clauses that were worth between €400–700 million.

Three years after Neymar’s departure came what Bartomeu deems the final nail in the coffin of Barcelona’s previously healthy finances: the Covid-19 pandemic.

Barcelona fans protested against Bartomeu’s regime during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. | Pau Berrena/AFP/Getty Images

“[My inheritance] is entirely conditioned by Covid-19,” Bartomeu stated. “At that time Barça were a club in a good sporting and financial position, growing and generating revenue. [The pandemic] caused revenue to plummet and in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons, Barça suffered a loss of €500 million, which made the club’s finances suffer the consequences.”

Bartomeu’s presidency was on life support since before the pandemic, though, with chants of "Bartomeu dimisión!” (Bartomeu resign) regularly echoing around Camp Nou pre-pandemic.

Less than a year into the pandemic, Bartomeu resigned under immense pressure and before a vote of no confidence motioned by Barça club shareholders would effectively result in his firing. The economic issues were one of the reasons, but Messi’s desire to exit the club in the summer of 2020 was arguably the biggest contributor to Bartomeu’s downfall.

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Bartomeu Breaks Silence on Infamous Messi ‘Burofax Saga’

Lionel Messi’s relationship with Bartomeu dramatically deteriorated. | Shaun Botterill/FIFA/Getty Images

One year before a teary-eyed Messi bid farewell to Barcelona in the summer of 2021, the Argentine star notified Barça his desire to leave for a new club via a burofax. Messi’s wish to go was deemed another stain on Bartomeu’s presidency, and he finally shared his side of the story.

“In August, 2020, when Messi asks to leave, I told him no,” Bartomeu admitted. “Because he was our biggest asset and one of our main sources of income. I couldn’t give him the release letter [which Messi asked for to become a free agent] and besides, he was under contract.

“I think he understood and that’s why he stayed. He thought there’d be a new board of directors in a few months that would renew his contract. His surprise came when it was time for his renewal and they fired him.”

With Bartomeu gone, Messi wanted to extend his bond with Barça, but incoming president Laporta—who promised he’d resign Messi if he was elected—ended up backtracking on his promise citing the club’s precarious financial situation and thus came the end of the Messi era in Barcelona.

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Bartomeu’s Barcelona Legacy

Bartomeu is one of the most controversial Barcelona presidents ever. | David Zorrakino/Europa Press/Getty Images

He might be a supervillain in the eyes of many Barcelona fans, but Bartomeu defended his legacy as president and the inheritance he left in the aftermath of his resignation, repeating that it was compromised by the pandemic.

“Being president of Barça isn’t easy,” Bartomeu said. “We did many things during our tenure. When people talk about our inheritance, they don’t mention the physical assets. We built the Estadi Johan Cruyff, and La Masía.”

On the pitch, Barcelona lifted their final Champions League title a little over a year into Bartomeu’s presidency. The Catalans also conquered La Liga four times and another four Copa del Rey triumphs.

None of those successes came in the last 12 months his tenure and heartbreaking or humiliating Champions League eliminations defined the final years of his presidency.

Barcelona lost 8–2 against Bayern Munich in the 2019–20 Champions League quarterfinals. | Manu Fernandez/POOL/AFP/Getty Images

Bartomeu isn’t a fan of Barça’s current board, especially Laporta, but he admitted that the appointment of manager Hansi Flick was a great decision. Still, he also added that the current Barça side should be considered as part of his legacy.

“The best thing that’s been done in recent years is signing Flick,” Bartomeu said. “And building a team that’s also part of our inheritance, because of the current squad of 23 players, 10 or 11 come from our tenure.”

For reference, Frenkie de Jong and Pedri are the only first-team signings of the Bartomeu era that are part of Barcelona’s 2025–26 squad.

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