Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu yesterday broke his silence over why Andoni Zubizarreta was sacked this week.

Bartomeu spoke of his decision to sack sporting director Zubizarreta on Monday, just one week after Barcelona lost an appeal to overturn a one-year transfer ban imposed by FIFA for violating rules over registering youth players.

"Sometimes as president one has to take difficult decisions," Bartomeu said. "I lost confidence in Zubizarreta and as I had been the one to hire him following (coach Josep) Guardiola's recommendation, I decided to be the one to dismiss him.

"There are people that have associated Zubizarreta's dismissal with the FIFA ban.

"I have already stated that Zubizarreta had no responsibility regarding the issue of the FIFA ban.

"He had nothing to do with those signings.

"Zubizarreta did very good things and others that weren't that good but I appreciate him.

"However, our confidence had deteriorated.

"We are now looking for his replacement.

"The new sporting director has to know this club, our way of playing."