Barca question 'doubtful' signatures in campaign to oust president

BARCELONA:

Barcelona have asked the civil guard to investigate alleged falsified signatures in the campaign to hold a vote of no confidence to oust club president Josep Maria Bartomeu, local media reported on Thursday.

A Barca source confirmed the club's committee responsible for counting the signatures had been in contact with authorities but had no more information on the matter which was reported by Radio station Cadena Ser and La Vanguardia newspaper.

A consortium of fans groups and presidential candidates, called 'Mes que una mocio' (More than a motion) gathered over 20,687 signatures last month in a bid to hold the vote against Bartomeu, clearing the 16,520 votes required to trigger a vote.

The club appointed a committee in September to verify the signatures and on Thursday it ended the process, declaring that 19,380 of the total signatures filed were valid, while 1,088 were declared null and 219 were described as "doubtful".

The committee said it would hold a meeting on Friday to announce the next step in the process.

The cries for a vote of no confidence came about in the aftermath of talisman Lionel Messi requesting a transfer in August after their humiliating Champions League exit after they lost 8-2 to Bayern Munich in the single match quarter-finals.

Fans cited a lack of sporting direction and financial mismanagement as the main reasons they want to see change.