Barcelona

Josep Maria Bartomeu: 'Barcelona will fight unjust attack of transfer ban'

By Danielle Joynson, Staff Reporter | 03 April 2014

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu insists that the Spanish giants are victims of an "unjust attack" following FIFA's two-window transfer ban.

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has insisted that the club will fight against the "unjust attack" of a transfer ban by FIFA.

The Spanish giants have lodged an appeal against the sanction, which will stop the club from signing and selling players across the next two transfer windows.

The ban is in relation to a breach of rules involving the acquisitions of 10 players under the age of 18 between 2009 and 2013.

"We want all of our fans and members to show their indignation at this sanction," Bartomeu said in a media conference in Spain. "The La Masia system is something not to be touched. It won't be changed and we will fight this unjust attack on a model which has been a huge success over the last three decades.

"We have done nothing wrong. We are just trying to build the best club in the world, but we do have the feeling that there are people trying to attack Barcelona and we are starting to accumulate some really telling evidence.

"There are strange things going on outside. There are people trying to bring down this club. We have the best club in the world and there are people clearly not very happy about that, who are trying to damage us."

The Spanish FA have also been fined £339,000 for their involvement.