Bartomeu: Madrid conspiracy against Barcelona

The Blaugrana chief is furious with the amount of attention Jordi Cases' complaint against the club has been getting in the Spanish capital

New Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu has hit out at the way the Madrid-based press have reported Blaugrana socio Jordi Cases' complaint against the club, claiming they have "taken advantage" of the situation.

The Spanish High Court is currently investigating the case, brought by Cases, regarding an alleged misappropriation of funds in the transfer of Neymar from Santos last year.

Bartomeu believes those in the capital are relishing Barca's current troubles and that jealousy is a motive.

"The club belongs to its members. That’s what makes a people’s club like Barca great. I don’t want to get involved or talk about whether this would happen at Real Madrid," Bartomeu was quoted as saying by AS.

"I don’t think there’s anyone behind Cases, but his lawsuit was taken advantage of in Madrid and made to fly very high. They tried to damage us.

"But we stopped being surprised at what happens and is being written in Madrid long ago.

"They find it hard to take that we have two players of this calibre [Lionel Messi and Neymar] and that we dominate as we do."