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Of the four options which FC Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu had on the table - resign immediately, or call elections in October, January or March - he has clearly chosen the worst for the club. The club will not go to the polls until next spring - after March 15th - and a year will be lost for the planning of the Barça of the future. Bartomeu is throwing the whole of next season into the garbage and has chosen an option that only aims to gain time on the sporting front with the sacking of Quique Setién and the signing of a new coach, presumably the Dutchman Ronald Koeman, and, more importantly, buying himself a few very important months before the presentation of economic results that will not leave the club in the red - which would naturally have consequences for the current board.

With the stadium closed, preventing club members from expressing their opinion at this delicate institutional moment, Bartomeu must think that nothing stands in his way and that he can literally do whatever he wants. At another point in history, the ill-feeling in the stands would be unbearable for the president, but the coronavirus has radically changed the situation. Faced with this scenario, the membership of FC Barcelona have only two alternatives: accept what Bartomeu is imposing on them, or start the process of presenting a no-confidence motion against the president in accordance with the statutes of the club.

The first path means accepting, in practice, another season like all of the recent ones​ and leaving the club on a life-support machine, lacking the impetus that an entity like Barça needs so much due to all that it represents. The second option is hugely complicated and needs to be known about in time, especially with all the presidential candidates playing their cards openly for the presidential vote that would follow. But the no-confidence motion is the only move from outside the club offices that would return the voice to the membership, without waiting until March. After six years in office, Bartomeu's legacy cannot be another year of discrediting the club and an economic wastage in player signings that is already approaching 800 million euros.

FC Barcelona supporters must decide between a radical change of course and to stop putting obstacles in the way of the president retaining his chair, or a start as soon as possible on a new era that will not be easy, as the current board has left everything looking like a building site and the first thing that will be needed will be ability and audacity to ensure new income. Therefore, the sooner the better, and the no-confidence motion is the only way.