The 56-year-old was released from prison in April 2019 after serving nearly two years for charges relating to fraud and money laundering
Sandro Rosell believes he never would have gone to prison were it not for his position as president of Barcelona.
Rosell was sent to preventive prison in May 2017 for charges including fraud and money laundering of nearly €20 million (£17m/$22m). After being given a conditional release in February 2019, he was cleared of any wrongdoing in April 2019.
The 56-year-old was president of Barcelona between July 2010 and January 2014, a period that saw the club achieve plenty of success on the pitch.
But it was a move off the field – the signing of Neymar from Santos in 2013 – that saw Rosell find his way into trouble.
Rosell was forced to resign from his position after being charged with misappropriating funds involved with the Brazilian’s transfer.
In his first interview since being released from prison, though, Rosell said he believes the only reason he was targeted is due to his position in charge of the Catalan side.
“If I had not been Barcelona president, I would not have gone to prison, of that I have no doubt at all,” Rosell told Mundo Deportivo.
“I don’t think that anybody would have investigated me as a business, nobody would have spied on me, nor would there have been such aggressive fiscal persecution that I still face.
“[There have been] 72 acts from the tax office since I was chosen to be president of Barcelona. Before being president, [there were] zero financial inspections. Is that a coincidence?”
When Rosell resigned, he named his vice-president Josep Maria Bartomeu as his successor, with that reign now coming into question as well.
Six members of the club board, including vice-president Emili Rousaud, handed in their resignation last week amid accusations of wrongdoing from Bartomeu.
Rousaud has levied serious accusations at Bartomeu, saying that he believes that “corruption is evident” within Camp Nou and that club funds are being mishandled – a claim strongly denied by Barca.
He has also indicated he is considering a run for Barcelona president in a bid to replace Bartomeu. Former Barcelona president Joan Laporta, who served in the role between 2003 and 2010, has also expressed his interest in returning to his old job.
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