Barcelona president Joan Laporta has pleaded for “patience” after the club’s difficult summer extended into a 3-0 Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich.

Institutional issues meeting La Liga’s Financial Fair Play regulations, debt of more than €1 billion and the devastating loss of talisman Lionel Messi have troubled the club. A sense of doom was added to in this week’s one-sided European opener.

“Hello Cules, I’m as hurt and indignant as all of you are, (but) what we are going through is one of the scenarios we contemplated,” Laporta stated in the aftermath.

“I ask for patience. Patience and that you keep supporting the team.

“And I also ask for your confidence in those in charge of the club. We need this margin of confidence and you should have no doubt, we will fix it.

“Many thanks, and visca Barca!”

Barca next play Granada on Monday.