Eight Directors Resign From Barcelona Board

Laporta presided over the club when it won back-to-back league titles in 2005 and 2006, along with the Champions League in 2006.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta suffered another blow to his administration when eight of his 17 directors resigned from the club's board on Thursday.

Laporta has been under pressure from his own board and local media to step down after losing a confidence vote among club members on Sunday, when those critical of his management won 60.6 percent of the almost 40,000 votes cast.

The motion just failed to achieve the two thirds necessary to force a new election and Laporta said he would continue and complete his mandate which runs until 2010.

Among the eight who resigned were first vice-president Albert Vicens, vice-president for sport Marc Ingla and vice-president for finance Ferran Soriano.

"The reason for our decision lies in the differences in opinion on how to react to the result of the confidence vote, when the majority expressed their unhappiness with the board," Vicens told a news conference.

The rest of the Barcelona board remained in session.

Laporta presided over the club when it won back-to-back league titles in 2005 and 2006, along with the Champions League in 2006.

But he has been heavily criticised for his running of the club over the past two years when they have failed to win any silverware.