Eduard Romeu, the financial vice president of Spanish soccer giants Barcelona, is resigning from his role as the club continues to struggle to manage its large debts.
In a statement made yesterday, Barcelona said Romeu had submitted his resignation to Joan Laporta, the club’s president, “citing incompatibility with full dedication to his professional work.”
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The Athletic publication has cited a source close to the former vice president, however, as saying that the severe financial difficulties Barcelona find themselves in are the main reason for his departure.
During a press conference yesterday, Romeu said: “To see a great Barcelona, we still need to make complex decisions. But there is still that final point that we must reach and we will follow our path with the same strength.”
Laporta added: “Eduard’s functions can continue to be carried out by the economic team. Romeu leaves a great team that is capable of continuing his work.
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“He has been key in the economic work of the club and we will continue to follow his advice. He leaves an economic area department who are prepared to continue his work.”
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By GlobalDataBarcelona have historic debts of over €1 billion ($1.08 billion), will need to sell players in the next transfer window to comply with national and European financial regulations for soccer clubs, and have already sold off a range of assets in exchange for short-term funding injections.
The club is also currently extensively renovating its iconic Camp Nou stadium (for which a financing deal worth €1.45 billion has been agreed), meaning that it is currently losing significant matchday revenue by having to play at Barcelona’s Olympic Stadium, possibly until next year. That venue only has a capacity of 60,000, as opposed to the Camp Nou’s 99,000.
Earlier this month, Barcelona announced they would be launching a new, globally-available, free streaming service in the next couple of weeks.
The service has been described as “the natural and necessary evolution” of the Barca TV+ platform.
On the pitch, meanwhile, the club are currently eight points behind bitter LaLiga rivals Real Madrid, who sit at the top of the table with 10 matches remaining this season.
They have, however, made it through to the quarter-finals of this season's lucrative pan-European UEFA Champions League.
