Barcelona defender Gerard Pique has launched a scathing attack on former president Josep Maria Bartomeu, claiming that he is up there with the club's worst-ever chiefs.

Bartomeu served for nearly seven years as Barcelona's president before an acrimonious departure in 2020, during which time the club was racking up close to £1bn worth of debt and dealing with the fallout of Lionel Messi's transfer request.

The 58-year-old was also arrested earlier this year over an alleged social media smear campaign against Barcelona players, and Pique believes that his reign was one of the worst that La Blaugrana have ever experienced.

Speaking to comedy show La Sotana, the centre-back said: "I cannot say if he is the worst. From what I have lived, he must be [up] there.

"We are all guilty, but it is true that the club have not gone where all the Catalans want. Now I am hopeful and excited. The next five or ten years will be very good for Barcelona."

Bartomeu was succeeded by Joan Laporta after resigning from his post, with the 59-year-old now in his second spell in office after a successful seven years between 2003 and 2010. body check tags ::