Barcelona confirm presidential election set for March 7

Barcelona's presidential election will be held on March 7, the club confirmed.

The club's election had previously been scheduled for January 24, but the date was pushed back as a result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Barca has now settled on March 7 as the date the club elects its new president from a field that includes Joan Laporta, Victor Font and Toni Freixa.

Members will be able to vote by mail and in person at six polling stations, which will be located at the Camp Nou in Barcelona as well as in Girona, Tarragona, Tortosa, Lleida, and Andorra.Barca

The club said in a statement: "In accordance with the agreements of the Management Committee, dated January 15 and today, and after having been obliged to postpone the date initially set for its celebration due to the impact of the restrictions imposed by the Government of the Generalitat de Catalunya as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Management Commission has agreed to call elections to the Board of Directors for March 7, 2021, uninterruptedly, from 09:00 to 21:00, simultaneously, in the various venues electoral bodies arranged for voting.

"The Management Commission wants to underline that the holding of these elections is conditioned by the exceptionality derived from the Covid-19 pandemic, so they will be organized following, at all times, the provisions and indications of the health authorities, in order to protect the health and ensure the safety of voters."

Barcelona have been without a president since Josep Maria Bartomeu resigned in October, having announced that he would not seek re-election.

Bartomeu's tenure came to a close amid a long-standing dispute with Lionel Messi, who revealed in an exclusive interview with Goal that he was unhappy with the way the club was being run.

Laporta is considered the favourite to win the election and, like the others, has stressed the importance of keeping hold of Messi and pushing along with the club's stadium project.

Font, who has been backed by the likes of Carles Puyol, Gerard Lopez and former president Joan Gaspart, has stated his hopes of bringing in Xavi to manage the team.

Freixa, meanwhile, has thrown his support behind current manager Ronald Koeman, insisting the Dutch coach would remain at the club under his leadership.

Barcelona announced on Monday that the club is currently facing considerable debt stemming from the coronavirus pandemic as well as the club's big-money transfers in recent seasons.

The Catalan club currently faces €1.2 billion (£1.1b/$1.5b) in debt, along with short-term debt of roughly €730m (£648m/$886m).