BARCELONA, Spain -- The president of Spanish champion Barcelona resigned on Thursday to fight criminal accusations he misappropriated funds from the signing of Brazil forward Neymar. Sandro Rosell is facing a lengthy legal battle after a judge in Madrid ruled on Wednesday he will hear a lawsuit that alleges the real cost of Neymars transfer from Santos last year was hidden. "I dont want unfair attacks to negatively affect (the) management or the image of the club. This is why I think my time here has come to an end," Rosell said, while insisting for a second time this week that the deal to bring Neymar to Barcelona was legal. Neymar, who is the poster boy of Brazils team going into the World Cup on home soil in June, joined for 57 million euros (then $74 million) in June, according to Rosell. The legal action, which was brought by club member Jordi Cases, alleges the real cost of Neymars transfer was closer to 95 million euros ($129 million) and that false contracts hid the real value of the move. The criminal offence of misappropriation of funds is punishable by up to six years in prison. The 49-year-old Rosell, a former Nike executive, said confidentiality agreements prevented Barcelona from revealing the exact amount received by Santos, and the three companies -- DIS, TEISA and N&N -- who owned shares of his rights. The lawsuit does not accuse Rosell of taking money from the deal. The case prompted Barcelonas board to call an emergency meeting, and Rosell announced he was quitting after more than two hours of deliberations. The transfer controversy is a blot on the reputation of a Catalan football institution that has long prided itself on being "more than a club" and is owned by its more than 160,000 members, who elect a president and executive board. And Barcelona, while top of the Spanish league, enters a period of uncertainty as it seeks to retain its domestic title and win the Champions League for the first time since 2011. Rosell, who was elected in 2010, said vice-president Josep Bartomeu will take his place and complete the presidential term that expires in 2016. Under three full seasons of Rosells presidency, Barcelona maintained its winning run started under Joan Laporta with another two Spanish league trophies to go with the Champions League title in 2011 and the Copa del Rey in 2012. Rosell said he was leaving to reduce the stress on him and his family and lamented what he described as attacks from both outside and within the club, despite its continued success on the pitch. "Through this period of success, my family and I have suffered attacks that have made me wonder if being president means putting my family at risk and in anguish," Rosell said. As he resigned, Rosell trumpeted his role in ensuring "the best players in the world wear the Barcelona jersey." Rosell oversaw the signing of Neymar, Cesc Fabregas, Alexis Sanchez, Javier Mascherano, Jordi Alba, and Alex Song to further strengthen a team built around star forward Lionel Messi. Messi himself is going through his own legal difficulties. The Argentina forward and his father, Jorge, are waiting to hear if they will face charges in a tax fraud case after answering a judges questions last year about allegations they avoided 4 million euros ($5.3 million) in back taxes. Rosell steered Barcelona through uncertainty last season when treatment for throat cancer kept coach Tito Vilanova away for several months. Vilanova had to step down at the end of last season through ill health and Gerardo Martino was brought in to take charge. But while helping to establish Barcelona as Europes most successful team, Rosell also upset some members by putting paying sponsors on the front of Barcas shirts for the first time by striking deals with Qatar Foundation and Qatar Airways. Rosell has faced accusations about his business dealings away from the Camp Nou, with accusations in Brazil he illegally benefited from a friendly organized by his marketing company in 2008. By leaving his powerful job at Barcelona, Rosell also loses seats on influential committees within world football on FIFA and UEFA. Nike Air Max 270 React Discount . The Oilers jumped into the free agent market early by signing defencemen Keith Aulie (six-foot-six, 228 pounds) and Mark Fayne (6-3, 210 pounds) and left-winger Benoit Pouliot (6-3, 197-pounds). Two days earlier MacTavish traded lightweight forward Sam Gagner to Tampa Bay for 6-3, 203-pound right winger Ted Purcell. Air Max 270 Mens Sale . The Packers, Lions and Bears were a combined 35-15 and as long as Jay Cutler can say healthy, all three could make the playoffs in 2012. http://www.max270cheap.com/air-max-270-mens-sale.html. DeGrom outpitched Jake Peavy in a tantalizing hitless duel that carried into the seventh inning Saturday night before the New York Mets broke loose and beat the San Francisco Giants 4-2. Nike Air Max 270 Triple White Womens . -- The Los Angeles Clippers chose not to speak publicly about owner Donald Sterling before they faced the Golden State Warriors for Game 4 of their first-round series Sunday. Nike Air Max 270 Clearance .This one was bigger than most.Ben Roethlisberger and LeVeon Bell came up big in a game that Pittsburgh had to win Sunday, leading the Steelers to a 42-21 drubbing of the Cincinnati Bengals that left the AFC North race wide open.ATLANTA -- Evan Gattis is starting to get his groove back for the Atlanta Braves. After playing three games in the minor leagues to correct his swing, Gattis returned to the majors and made an immediate impact. "I felt fixed before leaving," Gattis said. "Its good to go there and really kind of put it into action. It was good to have a good night." Kris Medlen pitched seven strong innings while Gattis and Andrelton Simmons homered to help the Atlanta Braves win their second straight game with a 3-1 victory over the New York Mets on Tuesday night. The Braves have won 20 of 24 at Turner Field to improve the major leagues best home record to 51-19. Gattis, who was recalled earlier in the day after a three-game stint at Triple-A Gwinnett, tied it at 1-all with his 16th homer in the seventh. After Mets starter Carlos Torres (3-3) walked Dan Uggla on nine pitches, Simmons hit his 13th homer to make it 3-1. Medlen (12-12) allowed seven hits and one run while striking out nine. Closer Craig Kimbrel converted his 34th straight save opportunity and improved to 44 for 47 this season. He struck out Juan Lagares and Matt den Dekker, allowed a single to Omar Quintanilla and retired pinch-hitter Justin Turner on a groundout. New York has dropped three straight and nine of 13. Torres gave up seven hits, three runs and one walk. He tied career highs with six strikeouts and seven innings pitched. The Mets took a 1-0 lead in the sixth on Daniel Murphys RBI double with one out, but Medlen limited the damage on Josh Satins groundout and Lucas Dudas strikeout. In the seventh, New York manager Terry Collins let Torres bat with runners at first and third, but the pitcher struck out. Torres lost the lead in the bottom half of the inning, unable to finish off Gattis and Uggla when both hitters fell behind with 0-2 counts. "Look where he was in that point in the game, and he was cruising," Collins said. "Theyre dangerous so you cant make any mistakes. He gave us a chance. We just couldnt put up any runs." Medlen erased the first two runners in scoring position -- Eric Young Jr. in the first and Duda in the fourth. After Young tripled oover Gattis head in left field in the sixth and scored on Murphys double, Medlen escaped further damage when Josh Satin grounded out and Duda took a called third strike.dddddddddddd. "Whatever jam you get in, you always feel like you can get out of it," Medlen said. "Im always thinking positive. Whether other people do, I dont know, but Im always figuring out a way to get out of stuff. Its something you learn as you mature in this game. I think Ive figured how to battle, how to go at guys, and today I did a decent job of that." Duda doubled with two out in the fourth, getting stranded on dArnauds strikeout, but his average dropped to .169 in 59 at-bats with runners in scoring position. Gattis, who went 3 for 3, spent the previous three days at Triple-A Gwinnett to get some at-bats. The NLs rookie of the month winner for April and May had slumped in August, but he seemed to correct his issues by going 6 for 13 in three games at Gwinnett. Gattis took four pitches from Torres before crushing a cutter into the seats in left-centre field. It was his first homer since the Braves 8-2 victory at New York on July 24 -- a span of 70 at-bats. "Its good to square the ball up, first," Gattis said. "It just ended up being a home run, you know." Atlanta has won 29 of its last 38 games and has rallied for 41 victories, best in the NL. Notes: Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said RF Jason Heyward, on the 15-day disabled list with a broken jaw, met with a doctor Tuesday and has been cleared to play catch and hit balls off a tee. ... Medlen is 2-1 with a 3.20 ERA and has 29 strikeouts in 25 1-3 innings in four starts against the Mets this year. ... Collins said before the game that he expects RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka will make his next scheduled start Sunday at Cleveland. Matsuzaka is 0-3 with a 10.95 ERA in three starts with New York. ... Collins added 1B Ike Davis, sidelined for the fourth straight with a strained right oblique, was in New York to see a doctor. ... Braves OF Jordan Schafer grounded out as a pinch-hitter for Medlen in the seventh. Schafer went 4 for 5 on Monday before leaving the game early with a sore back. ' ' '