BARCELONA: Josep Maria Bartomeu, if he wins the Barcelona presidential election, will throw his support behind any campaign to have Michel Platini become new head of world federation FIFA writes KEIR RADNEDGE.

Bartomeu and Barcelona continue to smart from the two-window transfer ban imposed by FIFA, led since 1998 by Sepp Blatter.

Next Monday the FIFA executive committee will decide on a date for the extraordinary elective congress prompted by Blatter’s decision to “to down my mandate” just four days after re-elected in Zurich in May.

Bartomeu, in a lunch organised by the Fórum Europa Tribuna Cataluña, said he discussed the issue and his preference with Angel Maria Villa, the Spanish federation leader; Villar is a long-serving vice-president of both FIFA and European federation UEFA which has been led by Frenchman Platini since 2007.

Barcelona formally ‘severed relations’ with FIFA after the transfer ban was imposed for breaches of youth transfer regulations.

Bartomeu said: “We continue without having any formal relationship with FIFA until it chooses new leaders.

“I get on very well with Villar. I talked with him and he knows that our preferred candidate is Platini. We’d be very happy to see him stand to become president of FIFA.”

Recalling the row over the youth transfers controversy, Bartomeu added: “Time will vindicate our position. In FIFA now we see many indications of corrupt behaviour. The Blatter administration is in turmoil.”

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