Barca face Juve test
A 5-0 derby win, an assist for 105 million euro ($126 million) purchase Ousmane Dembele on his debut and a four-point La Liga lead over Real Madrid ought to have brought some semblance of relief to Barcelona's beleaguered board.
Yet, no sooner had the celebrations died down from Luis Suarez's finish from Dembele's cross in the final minute of Saturday's thrashing of Espanyol, than cries for president Josep Maria Bartomeu to resign rang around the Camp Nou.
In the eyes of the fans, Bartomeu and his cohorts deserve no reflected glory for the players' performances as they have been in open conflict with the dressing room during a chaotic summer precipitated by Neymar's departure for Paris Saint-Germain.
Juventus' visit in the Champions League on Tuesday could have offered the chance of a new start and for revenge for last season's quarterfinal defeat by the Italian champions.
Instead, the battle for control of the club between fans, players and president rages on.
Even after Saturday's rout, supporters formed large queues to sign a vote of no confidence petition launched by a former presidential candidate Agusti Benedito.
For all Barca's off-field problems, on the pitch they can still rely on Lionel Messi to iron out most difficulties. The five-time World Player of the Year's hattrick at the weekend took his tally for the season already to six.
However, Bartomeu's handling of Messi's future has become another stick with which to beat the club's board.
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