Carles Puyol quits after Barcelona sack Director of Football Andoni Zubizarreta

Carles Puyol

Carles Puyol announced his resignation from the post of Barcelona’s Assistant Director of Football on Facebook. This news came soon after the club terminated the contract of Director of Football, Andoni Zubizarreta.

Barcelona lost to David Moyes’ Real Sociedad by a single goal a day before, when they had the chance to go top of La Liga with a victory.

Zubizarreta had been Barcelona’s goalkeeper for eight years between 1986 and 1994. He had returned to Barcelona in 2010 to replace Txiki Begiristain, who left for Manchester City, as the Director of Football.

The club said in a statement, "The FC Barcelona President Josep Maria Bartomeu has decided to terminate as of today the contract of the Club's Director of Football, Andoni Zubizarreta.

"The President, in the name of the Club, thanks Andoni Zubizarreta for his contribution, dedication and professionalism over the last four years in his role at the head of the Club's football area."

Soon after this news filtered through, Zubizarreta’s assistant Puyol confirmed that he will be resigning from his post as well.

The Catalan club had been imposed a two-window transfer ban by FIFA, which was upheld by Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The ban was given to Barcelona after it was found to have infringed the FIFA regulations with respect to the registration of a number of minor players.

FC Barcelona tweeted that they had terminated Zubizarreta’s contract:

#FCBarcelona terminate the contract of Andoni Zubizarreta as Director of Football http://t.co/CBgfuV3Zhs pic.twitter.com/eoCqCLCP0n

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) January 5, 2015