Laporta sacks in-law

Laporta said earlier on Thursday he would not accept his brother-in-law's resignation despite the fact official documents published in the Spanish media on Tuesday showed Echevarria was once a member of a foundation honouring former dictator Francisco Franco.

But 12 hours later Laporta backtracked, telling Catalan television station TV 3 that he had accepted Echevarria's resignation because it was "in the best interests of the club".

The revelations have sent shockwaves through a club that has traditionally identified itself with Catalan nationalism and opposition to right-wing dictator Franco who ruled Spain with an iron hand between 1939 and his death in 1975.

Thursday's decision represented a U-turn by Laporta, who had gone on record as saying his brother-in-law "is not, never has been and never will be a member of that foundation".

Earlier this year a number of directors, including vice-president Sandro Rosell, resigned because they had become disenchanted with the president's increasingly domineering style.

Laporta's image has also been damaged by his failure to conclude a lucrative shirt sponsorship deal with the Chinese government, by a tantrum at Barcelona airport after failing to pass a security check and disagreements over his economic management of Barcelona.