Vote of no confidence filed against Barca chief Bartomeu amid Messi chaos

A vote of no confidence has been filed against Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu a day after reports surfaced claiming Lionel Messi told the club he wants to leave.

Jordi Farre, who plans to contest the presidency during the March 2021 election, is spearheading a campaign to have Bartomeu sacked following protests surrounding the club's offices Tuesday evening demanding the current executive's ousting.

"We consider that Messi's request to leave Barcelona is the latest sign of the mess the club finds itself in," said a statement from Nou Impuls Barca, which is the slogan for Farre's campaign, per ESPN UK's Sam Marsden and Moises Llorens.

Farre has 14 business days to amass signatures from 15% of the club's nearly 17,000 official members. Should Farre gather that support, a referendum would be held among the entire membership group, which could total 154,000 eligible voters. Two-thirds of that group would need to vote against the board to trigger an immediate election.

Under the moniker Cor Blaugrana, a collective of Barcelona supporters also announced plans in July to submit a vote of no confidence against Bartomeu, but, unlike Farre, the group did not officially file a motion. It's unclear if that group will now support Farre's claim.

Bartomeu was elected Barcelona's 40th president in January 2014 and has recently come under fire after the club capped a trophyless campaign for the first time in more than a decade with the 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarterfinals.

Messi has one more year on his current terms at the Camp Nou and a €700 million release clause. The 33-year-old Argentine's contract also includes a stipulation permitting him to leave at the end of a season if an agreement is met with the club's board. Barcelona insist the clause expired in June.

Messi has been vocal about his discontent at the club this season, first criticizing recently fired sporting director Eric Abidal in February for saying the players were responsible for Ernesto Valverde's sacking. Then, a month later, the six-time Ballon d'Or winner condemned the Catalan side's board for alleging players refused a pay cut amid the COVID-19 pandemic.