Bartomeu provisionally freed after spending night time in jail

Former Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu was provisionally freed on Tuesday after showing earlier than a choose following an evening in jail whereas being investigated for doable irregularities throughout his administration.
Court officers mentioned Bartomeu and his former adviser on the Spanish membership, Jaume Masferrer, used their proper to not make any feedback.
Bartomeu, Masferrer and two different membership officers have been arrested on Monday after Catalan police raided Barcelona’s headquarters in a search and seizure operation associated to final 12 months’s “Barçagate.” In that case, the membership was accused of launching a smear marketing campaign in opposition to present and former gamers who have been essential of then-president Bartomeu and others.
The arrests got here lower than per week earlier than the membership holds presidential elections, and added to the turmoil surrounding the staff not too long ago.
Barcelona, which has additionally struggled on the sector and will lose Lionel Messi after his contract ends this season, has been led by a caretaker board since Bartomeu and his board of administrators resigned in October whereas going through a no-confidence vote.
The Spanish powerhouse has a debt of greater than 1.1 billion euros ($1.3 billion), largely due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Authorities mentioned the arrests have been made as they examine “alleged crimes related to property and socio-economic order.”