Spanish La Liga champions Barcelona were in turmoil on Friday after six directors quit in the latest unravelling of the club’s hierarchy that fans and players are increasingly angry at.

The board members’ protest deepened chaos at the world’s richest club, hit by plunging revenues during the coronavirus crisis and even criticism from club captain Lionel Messi.

The departing directors criticised the club’s handling of a social media scandal and expressed doubts about the board’s ability to handle the implications of the pandemic, which has led to a 70 per cent players’ pay cut.

Two of the club’s four vice-presidents, Emili Rousaud and Enrique Tombas, were among those to announce their resignation in a letter to fans published in Spanish media on Friday. They were joined by directors Silvio Elias, Josep Pont, Jordi Calsamiglia and Maria Texidor.

They asked president Josep Maria Bartomeu to call presidential elections as soon as possible and voiced “displeasure” over the club’s hiring of a third party, I3 Ventures, earlier this year to monitor social media coverage of Barca.

Bartomeu has denied accusations the company created social media accounts.