Koeman ‘Devastated’ By Arrest Of Barcelona Officials

By Daily sports on March 3, 2021

Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman says he is “devastated” at the arrest of former president Josep Maria Bartomeu following an investigation into the club’s financial issues.

Bartomeu was one of four arrests in what police called “an investigation into alleged crimes related to property and the socio-economic order”.

Bartomeu, who resigned as president in October, was released on Tuesday.

“It’s not good for the image of the club,” said Koeman.

The arrests were made by Catalan police on Monday after an investigation into financial issues at the 26-time Spanish champions.

Bartomeu and his former adviser Jaume Masferrer spent the night in a Barcelona police station, while the club’s chief executive Oscar Grau and legal services director Roman Gomez Ponti were detained and released later in the day.

The investigation is thought to relate to the ‘Barcagate’ scandal in 2020, when the club denied hiring a firm to attack their own players on social media.

Bartomeu, who was elected president in 2014, was under increasing pressure before his resignation, with fans calling for his removal as well as having fallen out with Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi.

Elections for the club’s next president take place on Sunday.

On the field, Koeman’s side return to action for the first time since the arrests when they host Sevilla in a Copa del Rey semi-final second leg on Wednesday, trailing 2-0 from the first game.

“When I heard the news I was devastated because I know Bartomeu and Grau well," said former captain Koeman, who returned to the Catalan club as manager in August.

“I feel bad for them, I had good moments with them in a short space of time and Bartomeu has always been an exceptional person to me.

“We have to wait and see what happens (with the investigation). I wasn’t here then so I can’t talk about it, we just have to focus on our job and in turning the tie around.” (BBC)

•PHOTO: Ronald Koeman

 

Source Daily sports

Posted March 3, 2021


 

You may also like...
Foundation opens sports academy in Ogun

Watford Confirm Ivic As New Head Coach

Nike Terminates Neymar Contract Over Sexual Assault Investigation...

Arsenal Woe As Partey Injury Confirmed

Hamilton rules out Vettel joining Mercedes

Icardi Grabs Late Winner For PSG Against Lyon...

 

Latest News Osimhen caged as Fenerbahce hold Gala Aruna begins African Cup title defence Commonwealth Games: 15 Secondary Schools For Drug-abuse Seminar In-form Osimhen eager ahead W’Cup qualifiers Onyedika adds to Eagles injury list ahead W’Cup qualifiers Ikoyi Club commits to sports dev as Zibiri-Aliu bows out D’Tigers pick 2025 AfroBasket ticket Lagos FA secretary eyes Sports Festival success Fury’s retirement in doubt as Joshua fight offer looms Olise joins Trabzonspor Women from Edo Queens World Series: Green Falcons to play Ghana, France friendlies My family won’t feed on legacy, boxing is about business – Lawal

 

Most Read Rangers International going, going . . . (55,316 views) Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (46,462 views) Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (44,490 views) Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (44,126 views) Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (44,088 views) Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (44,078 views) Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (43,891 views) NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (43,442 views) Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (42,532 views) Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (41,189 views) Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (39,629 views) John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (39,056 views)

 

Phone numbers

Tel: +234(0)8066020976
+234(0)8055068145
+234(0)7013416146
+234(0)8094272884

Email addresses

info@dailysportsng.com
support@dailysportsng.com
publisher@dailysportsng.com

Office address

No 3, Adetoun Close, Off College Road, Ogba, Ikeja Lagos.
Website: www.dailysportsng.com

Social Media