Josep Maria Bartomeu refuses to resign as Barcelona president

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has rejected calls for his resignation following a turbulent few months at Camp Nou.

The Catalan giants were first rocked by Lionel Messi handing in a transfer request, which ultimately went nowhere as the Argentine elected to stay put, but Barcelona players and staff are now said to be embroiled in a dispute over proposed pay cuts amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Bartomeu has since faced heavy criticism and is facing numerous calls to resign, but the Barca president has insisted that he has never thought about stepping down from his post despite the turmoil behind the scenes at Camp Nou.

Speaking at a press conference following a board meeting, the 57-year-old said: "There is no reason for me to resign.

"It's not an appropriate time to hand in my resignation. No-one will be able to make the decisions if I decide to resign. The idea of stepping down has never crossed my mind. Never."

However, Bartomeu could yet walk away as a vote will now reportedly be cast by club members on whether or not he should be replaced, with the Barca president set to leave if more than two thirds of 154,000 members decide it is the best course of action.