The board of European champions FC Barcelona will vote on Saturday whether to scrap the club's $225m sponsorship deal with Qatar Foundation.

Barcelona signed a five-and-a-half year shirt sponsorship deal with the non-profit organisation in December which relegated its UNICEF logo to the back of the shirt.

But the club's decision to collect money for the first time in its history to display a logo on its jerseys has prompted thousands of fans to sign a petition calling for the deal to be scrapped.

The fans' opposition has pressured Barcelona's board to re-think the deal at a meeting on Saturday.

Coach Pep Guardiola posted his support for Qatar in the run-up to the vote in comments posted on the club's website in which he extolled the Gulf state, calling it "the most open Muslim country".

Guardiola, who played for Qatar's Al Ahly between 2003 and 2005, added: “It’s very good that we debate this and also a very good decision of the board’s to let the members decide on it. It’s one of the healthy democratic values we have.

"I can tell you that I lived for two years in Qatar and my family and I received wonderful treatment."

He said: "Qatar is on a roll right now, with the World Cup going there, and their bid for the Olympics, and that is the result of an extraordinary effort that the country is making to open itself to the world, whilst maintaining its own traditions."

Guardiola said: "If the members decide to continue, then we will still have the sponsorship of a foundation which is doing things for research and for culture. If not, then we will move ahead with different resources. Whatever happens, the players will continue to run and fight, which in the end is the most important thing."

Barcelona's legendary former Dutch coach Johan Cruyff is among the high profile opponents of the Qatar Foundation deal, calling it "vulgar".

The Qatar Foundation, founded in 1995, has set up projects focusing on education, scientific research and community development, mainly in the Middle East.

Barcelona won the Spanish league and the Champions League last season but despite success on the field the club is struggling financially.

The Catalan side posted a loss of 79.6 million euros last season and they have debts of 442 million euros.