Former presidential candidate and promoter of the vote of censure against Bartomeu and his board, Agustí Benedito, appeared in a press conference this morning to update supporters on his progress. He confirmed that the total number of signatures this far is 7.278. “It's 40 percent of what we need,” Benedito said, noting that 2,920 signatures were collected on the day of the Espanyol derby, 3.360 in the Champions League opener and 698 outside of matchdays. Benedito will now deploy his volunteers throughout Catalonia. At present, only 16 collection points are active but it is expected to reach 50 in the next few days.

Benedito remains firm in his intention to collect the signatures until October 2, a date which the board disputes, stating yesterday that the deadline for signatures ends on September 27, meaning that Saturday's count as work days. “If there is a space for interpretation, which at the end is three business days, I am hopeful that they will correct their mistake. I have no doubt that on October 2 they will accept the 18.000 or 19.000 signatures we present.”

“They are changing the criteria as it suits them, until yesterday, they gave us only six working days, I suppose the pressure got to them and gave us five more days,” Benedito continues, and on the possibility of a trial, “the lack of logic they used when saying the term ended on September 19 is the same they are using now when saying it ends on the 27th. Saturdays are resting days, a fact we are convinced of.”

More from Benedito

“We are above our expectations, satisfied and convinced that we will achieve this.”

“There are a lot socios, we can not go door-to-door to look for them. It's up to the socios to take the initiative to express themselves through their signature.”

“Messi and Iniesta? I know it will not do our movement any good, but I ask Leo to sign the contract, and also Andrés, despite the lack of harmony between the staff and the board.”