FC Barcelona Sacks Zubizarreta

Barcelona have terminated the
contract of sporting director Andoni
Zubizarreta, the Catalan club
announced on Monday.
Zubizarreta took up the role in 2010
as Sandro Rosell succeeded Joan
Laporta as president, but was an unpopular figure among many
of the fans following the side's troubles in the transfer market in
recent years.
"The president of FC Barcelona, Josep Maria Bartomeu, has
decided to rescind the contract of sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta
," the Blaugrana announced in a statement on
Monday.
"The president, in the name of the club, would like to thank
Andoni Zubizarreta for his contribution, dedication and
professionalism in these four years as sporting director."
Zubizarreta played for Barca between 1986 and 1994, appearing
more than 400 times for the Catalan club.
The Basque had been in a precarious position for some time, but
his public criticism of Bartomeu on Sunday appears to have
been the final straw for the Barca board.
Asked - after Luis Enrique's side had lost 1-0 at Real Sociedad -
about the club's transfer ban for irregularities in the signing of
young players, Zubizarreta said: "I take full responsibility for my
duties. [But] Mr. Bartomeu knows the situation better than
anyone as he was sporting vice-president during that time."

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