Rumours about pact Benedito-Ingla-Ferrer

Spanish news agency EFE claims, based upon sources from the candidacies involved, that Barcelona presidential candidates Agustí Benedito, Marc Ingla and Jaume Ferrer could make a pact ahead of the elections on Sunday.

Because none of the three candidates would according to the latest internal polls have a chance to defeat Sandro Rosell on Sunday, with the former sports vice-president getting around 40% of the voting intentions. The main problem would be the decision on who would lead the united candidacy.

Catalan radio station RAC1 reported that they asked the three candidacies about the rumours of a pact and that all denied. Speaking to Catalan radio station Catalunya Ràdio, Benedito repeated that he will not make a deal before the elections.

Read more:
Benedito wants sections to have own president
Ingla reveals his plan for Camp Nou 2.0
Ferrer: "Barça is a club that unites"

The first presidential debate

Barcelona presidential candidates Agustí Benedito, Jaume Ferrer, Marc Ingla and Sandro Rosell held the first presidential debate on Catalan radio station Catalunya Ràdio.


Sports area

Ingla (against Rosell): "You won't even call Txiki when you are appointed, so tell the people what you really want."

Rosell: "We can't reveal our plan because that would make it more expensive."

Ingla: "Why don't you explain your business in Brasil? Maybe there's nothing wrong but the member at least has the right to get informed."

Rosell: "I will sell my businesses I have related to the world of sports if I'm elected as president."

Rosell: "There haven't been enough players promoted to the first team over the last years. Only Pedro and Jeffren, who I bought with Busquets. We should work better with the youth academy."

Benedito: "Txiki won't continue, his time is over."

Rosell: "Cruyff wanted to sign the triple A of Valencia: Albelda, Aimar and Ayala."

Ingla: "This Barça is build by Cruyff, Txiki, Rijkaard and Pep. The project of Rosell will break with all that. He will bring his own people in."

Ferrer: "Ingla wasn't there when we won the six cups, so it's strange he now claims those successes."

Benedito and Rosell: "No one will change the sporting model, it's working."

Economic area

Rosell: "There are too many expenses and some aren't clear."

Ingla: "Economically, Barça is better than ever. And we want to double the budget in the next six years. We want to open embassies, we want to go out in the world."

Benedito: "We have more revenues but the expenses have also risen."

Ingla: "We're a sporting club, we shouldn't make profits."

Catalan identity and legacy of Laporta

Rosell, Ingla and Benedito: "Oliver won't continue."

Ingla: "I've included the Catalan flag in the shirt."

Ingla: "We want an open club, Rosell wants to close the club to some families."

Benedito: "Laporta has done good things but also bad things. We shouldn't have relations with the Uzbek mafia."

Ferrer: "Barça didn't have a contract with Uzbekistan, but with an Uzbek club to play a friendly game."

Rosell: "40.000 people of Siberia could become club member and decide who will be the new president. We don't want to lose the Catalan identity of the club. We need to regulate the members."

Benedito: "The club member without season-tickets should get a discount of 50% for the tickets."

Ingla: "We want an open club."

Ferrer: "The number of members should be limited. We want another system so the people can be linked to the club in another way."

Ingla: "It's sad Rosell has made photos with factions of the Boixos Nois hooligans."

Rosell: "We want zero violence at the stadium."

Benedito: "The Boixos Nois are supporting Rosell, they are shouting 'Rosell president'. In meetings of Rosell with fan groups there have been representatives of the violent groups."

Ingla: "We need youth academies all over the world."

Rosell: "We should not have own youth academies but control the players through agreements."

Ferrer: "We have our academy in Argentina and it's working."

Conclusion

Ferrer: "What is working shouldn't be touched."

Benedito: "We are the alternative."

Ingla: "We have the best project, we're the guarantee that this model will continue. We've done a lot but there's a lot of work to do."

Rosell: "We know what the member want after a lot of meetings."

Ingla confirms that he will run for president

Speaking to Catalan radio station Catalunya Ràdio, former Barcelona marketing and sports vice-president Marc Ingla has confirmed the rumours that he will take part in the elections for president of FC Barcelona:

"My intention is to present a candidacy. This hasn't been just an individual decision, but a joint decision of a group of colleagues and friends.

I will run for president because I love the club, because I'm passionate about Barça, about football and about sports in general. But also because we think we can add things that are different and another point of view.

I don't want to enter discussions between Barcelona fans and groups. I want to offer the member a model with the maximum credibility that guarantees exits, not only on a sporting level but also on a social and economic level. I have a good feeling about this, I'm getting the support of a lot of members."

Read more:
Ingla has decided to run for president
Soriano, Vicens and maybe Godall in Ingla team
Ingla preparing his election campaign

Rexach still thinking about running for president

Asked about the rumours former Barcelona player and coach Carles Rexach would join the candidacy set up by ex-candidates Josep Maria Minguella and Jordi Medina and headed by Catalan businessman Santiago Salvat (read more here), Minguella has said in an interview with Catalan radio station RAC1 that Rexach didn't yet make a final decision:

"I can't say anything, it's him who should make a decision. Charly is welcome because he's a nice person who appeals to the Barcelona fans but he should make the decision. Someone has told him that he could head a candidacy and he's free to do what he wants. Whatever he does, I will support him, although I think both for him as for us it would be good to team up."

In an interview with Catalan radio station Catalunya Ràdio had earlier already explained that Rexach is still considering the possibility of running for president himself in upcoming elections which will be held on Sunday 13 June:

"The situation of Charly is very complex because he got involved in Facebook, which has led to some major doubts about what to do since he got the support of over 5.000 members. But how many of those are club members? Those are 5.000 perople who are clicking - or how do you call that - but the important thing is to know how many members there are between them.

Charly is of course important in the entourage of the club, he can atttract votes, but first he should make a decision. I would never reject him, on the contrary, I offer Charly to join me because I think it's a good guy and I would want to have him at my side. But he will decide.

I think that someone is driving him a bit crazy, saying that he has a chance, that they will promote him, that he will win and all that, which makes that he is now in doubt and didn't yet make a decision. I've read that he has said that this week will be decisive. We'll see."

Read more:
Rexach will participate in the elections
Santiago Salvat is Minguella-Medina candidate
Rexach could join Minguella-Medina candidacy

Soriano awaiting election events

Asked if he could be part of a candidacy in the elections for president of FC Barcelona, former Barcelona economic vice-president Ferran Soriano has repeated in an interview with Catalan radio station Catalunya Ràdio that he cannot exclude the option:

"I haven't planned that, but anything can happen. What I can tell you is that it won't be me who will set up that candidacy.

Things are changing rapidly these days and a candidacy can be set up quickly. In the elections of 2003, I was campaign director and we presented the candidacy on 14 May, while the elections were on 15 June, so only one month before.

I have already said this several times but I promise that I will certainly participate. And participating means that at the least I will give my opinion because I have learnt a lot during my time at Barça and I might return to the club one day. Now, in six years or in twelve years.

Do I have a favourite candidate? No, because there aren't candidates yet, only pre-candidates and we need to wait and see until people explain what they want to do. The feeling I have is that people are waiting for an candidacy of tranquility, an option that isn't agressive, isn't rough but is calm, which is what Barça needs.

Maybe in 2003 the club needed something else, a kind of revolution, but now the club needs tranquility, normal people who don't want to be in the centre of the media attention, who don't criticize just to criticize. And I hope there will be a candidate that will deserve my support."

Read more:
Soriano confirms he won't run for president
Former vice-president Ingla will run for president
Candidacies carrying out polls

The Quote: Albert Perrin

"I think there won't be elections. And not because of pacts between candidates."


Albert Perrín,
Barcelona institutional vice-president

read more election quotes here

Cruyff becomes honorary president

Speaking at a press conference this afternoon, Barcelona chief executive Joan Oliver claims that the board of directors of FC Barcelona has unanimously decided during today's board meeting to nominate former Barcelona player and manager Johan Cruyff as honorary president of the club:

"At the proposal of the president the decision has been approved that Johan Cruyff is from now on the honorary president, a position that also other clubs have.

The Board considered that Cruyff meets all the requirements as player, coach and person who has inspired or founded a model and a way to understand the club that has led us to the successes of the last years. He is the father of the successes of 2009. Guardiola, Alexanko or Txiki, who are now part of the club, are sporting sons of Johan and this is a form of recognition.

This is a honorific post that is included in Article 16 of the club statutes. It is a reinforcement of him at the institutional level but it does not affect the daily life of the club. Cruyff knew about the decision because everyone who knows the club knows that if you don't talk to him before you decide something like this, you're comitting suicide."

Article 16 of the statutes of FC Barcelona, entitled 'Meritorious and Honorary Members and Protector Members', reads as follows: "The Board may distinguish those individuals and legal persons who deserve it with the nomination as meritorious or honorary members, in recognition of their dedication or importance to the Club [...]."

Johan Cruijff played for Barcelona from 1973 to 1978. In his first season he helped the club win the first league title since 1960. As a player he also won the Spanish cup in 1978. In 1988, Cruijff returned to Barcelona as manager.

As the coach of the so called "Dream Team", he won four consecutive league titles between 1991 and 1994, the club's first Champions League in 1992, one Spanish cup in 1990, one European cup winner's cup in 1989 and two European super cups in 1989 and 1992. Cruijff left Barcelona in 1996.

Read more:
Which role could Cruyff play in the elections?
Laporta wanted to replace Rosell by Cruyff
Cruyff will support Godall

Godall candidacy has positive polls

Asked about the polls indicating that Barcelona presidential candidate Sandro Rosell is currently the favourite ahead of the elections (check some poll results here), Barcelona treasurer Xavier Sala i Martín has said in an interview with Catalan radio station Catalunya Ràdio that the candidacy of Barcelona first vice-president Alfons Godall has other poll results:

"All there is now are estimations. The elections haven't yet been called, you don't know who the candidates will be. We'll see what happens when the elections will come closer. There are surveys that say that Sandro is in the lead. I have polls that say it's not like that, that there are others who are in the lead.

And there are indeed also polls that say that the people who want to continue with this project are in the lead and could win the elections. And the reason is simple: the people aren't stupid and in the end they see that things are going well and that this is not the time for changes and experiments. We will see what will happen."

Read more:
Soriano carrying out election poll
Poll Rosell confirms his big lead
Guixa carrying out own election poll

Sala doesn't exclude future candidacy

Asked about the rumours that he still could be a candidate in the upcoming elections for president of FC Barcelona (read more here), Barcelona treasurer Xavier Sala i Martín has rejected this possiblity in an interview with Catalan radio station Catalunya Ràdio but didn't exclude he will run for president in the future:

"Xavier Sala i Martín will certainly not be a candidate, meaning the number one of a list, in the elections of 2010. And I'm talking about 2010, not about the future. I don't want people to bring this up later and say that Sala i Martín in the past has said this or that...

The rumours about Alfons Godall supposedly not wanting to get to the end and about a change in the leadership are spread on purpose to scare the people by saying that Alfons doesn't want to continue. But Alfons Godall will go on until the end. He is very motivated, so that is guaranteed."

Read more:
Sala wants to attract sponsor for Unicef logo
Ferrer has biggest media impact
Could Sala i Martin still be a candidate?

The Quote: Joan Gaspart

"What went wrong when I was president, was that I was president. The ego and the human weaknesses made me take up a position for which I'm no good."


Joan Gaspart,
former Barcelona president

read more election quotes here

Molins rejects offer to lead Minguella-Medina project

Spanish news agency Europa Press claims that Catalan lawyer Pablo 'Pau' Molins has rejected yesterday morning the offer to head the candidacy that is being set up by former Barcelona presidential candidates Josep Maria Minguella and Jordi Medina.

Molins is quoted as saying in a communiqué that, although he likes the idea of a 'third way', he declines the proposal because of professional and personal reasons that don't leave him enough time to campaign or to lead the club. Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that the criminal lawyer has nevertheless agreed to support the list.

Asked about the rumours linking Molins to his project, former player's agent Josep Maria Minguella has said in interviews with Catalan radio stations Catalunya Ràdio, first, and RAC 1 that he doesn't want to react to the latest news reports:

"Our group has made the decision that until the game against Real Madrid on 10 April we won't talk about or comment on any electoral issues. After that date, we will explain what we could do, who would be involved and so on, but for now we have decide not to talk anymore."

Read more:
Lawyer offered to lead Minguella-Medina project
Minguella project preparing primaries
Minguella-Medina project still looking for a leader

Could president Laporta become vice-president?

Speaking to Catalan radio station Catalunya Ràdio, former Barcelona president Joan Gaspart has said that he has suggested to Barcelona president Joan Laporta that the latter could be part of a presidential candidacy in the upcoming elections as vice-president:

"What could be postive for the continuism - I told it to president Laporta but he didn't listen - is that Mr Godall or Mr Ferrer would be president and Mr Laporta vice-president. That would be a master move, machiavellian but masterly. But Mr Laporta apparently didn't follow my advice and has chosen for a political career."

In principle, the club statutes don't seem to forbid the mentioned option. The third point of Article 31, entitled 'Duration of term of office', read as follows: "The President of the Governing Board may hold office, consecutively, for a maximum of two terms. The other members of the board can be re-elected indefinitely."

And Article 38 of the statutes, that enumerates the conditions to be eligible as director, also doesn't put any obstacles if the president resigns at the right time, a few weeks before the elections (point f):

"a) To be an adult and not legally incapacitated.
b) To have been a Club member for a minimum of one year at the moment that the elections are called.
c) Not to be on suspended membership at the moment that the elections are called.
d) Not to have been associated to FC Barcelona as a player, trainer, member of the coaching staff or employee during the two years prior to the calling of elections.
e) Not to have been punished disciplinarily by the Club for a very serious infringement during the five years prior to the calling of elections.
f ) To have presented one's resignation and left the position before beginning Stage VI of the electoral procedure (presentation of candidacies) in the case of the aspiring candidate being a member of the Board of Directors or Management Commission that has called the elections and seeks to present oneself for re-election.
g) To be included in the current Electoral Roll."

Read more:
Who is eligible as president?
The five vice-presidents of Godall
When will the next president take office?

Catalan journalist confirms offer to run for president

Asked about the rumours that he has been offered to head a candidacy in the upcoming presidential elections (read more here), Catalan journalist and writer Xavier Bosch has confirmed the reports in an interview with Catalan radio station Catalunya Ràdio:

"It's true that I have talked with a group of people to discuss the issue. But although I of course would like to be president of Barça, I should rephrase Groucho Marx and say that I would never want to become the president of a club that accepts me as president. Have I also talked with Rosell? No comment. Soriano? No comment."

Read more:
Catalan journalist rejects offer to run for president
Medina continues to work on candidacy
Majo stepping out of Minguella-Medina project

Former vice-president Franquesa to support Ferrer

Asked about the rumours that former Barcelona vice-president Joan Franquesa (picture) would join his candidacy for the upcoming presidential elections (read more here), Barcelona assets vice-president Jaume Ferrer has said in an interview with Catalan radio station Catalunya Ràdio that Franquesa is willing to support him:

"Mister Franquesa left the board because he had some personal and professional problems to resolve. We have a great relationship and he knows the doors are open for him, and I know he wishes to join us."

Read more:
The resignation letter of vice-president Franquesa
A first look at the project of Ferrer
Former vice-president Franquesa to join Ferrer

Laporta and Rosell contacted Cesc

Spanish television channel Antena 3 claims that Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fàbregas (22) has decided that, because of the lack of trophies won, he wants to leave the English Premier League club at the end of the season and join Barcelona.

Both Barcelona president Joan Laporta and Barcelona presidential candidate Sandro Rosell would already have contacted the entourage of Cesc, but the player reportedly doesn't want to be linked with any candidacy and would first try to convince Arsenal to let him go in the summer.

Catalan sports papers Sport, El Mundo Deportivo and El 9 Esportiu all claimed this week that Barcelona wants to sign Cesc before the end of the mandate of Laporta, who will leave the club on 30 June after seven years in office (read more here).

Asked about a possible return, Cesc meanwhile suggested in an interview with Catalan radio station Catalunya Ràdio that he could be willing to come back to Barcelona, the club he left as a youth player in the summer of 2003:

"I've never hidden that one day I would like to return to Barça. Since I was nine months old, I went to the Camp Nou. I spend my whole youth wearing those colours, but because of a series of circumstances I had to leave. You never know what can happen in the future, but during the coming four months I want to focus on my job at Arsenal."

Read more:
Guardiola will push candidates to sign Cesc
Transfer battle between board and Rosell
Rooney could become electoral transfer target

Catalan journalist rejects offer to run for president

Catalan sports weekly paper Gol claims, confirming an earlier report by Catalan radio station Catalunya Ràdio, that Catalan journalist Xavier Bosch (picture) has rejected an offer to head a candidacy in the elections for president of FC Barcelona later this year.

A group of people that were linked to the presidential candidacy of Catalan business man Lluís Bassat in 2003 would be trying to set up a project. The group, that would have the financial resources needed and only want to come out at the very last moment, had offered Bosch to lead the candidacy.

Xavier Bosch is a 42-year old journalist who currently hosts a talkshow on Catalan television channel TV3 and also acts as football pundit for Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo and Catalan radio station RAC 1. The journalist, who has also been linked to presidential candidate Sandro Rosell, reportedly refused the offer because of family reasons.

The above-mentioned group would meanwhile also have been talking with former Barcelona player and manager Carles Rexach and the group of Barcelona club members that had offered him earlier to run for president (read more here). The two groups would now want to join forces to present to the voters an alternative project.

Read more:
Respected journalist to run for president?
Bassat rejects offers to take part in elections
Minguella and Medina behind Rexach candidacy

Elections will be held on Sunday 13 June

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has announced at a press conference today that the elections for president of FC Barcelona will be held on 13 June. The decision has been made during a meeting of barcelona's board of directors in the Catalan city of Vic.

At the press conference, Laporta explained the choice: "The board of directors has decided that the elections will be held on Sunday 13 June 2010. The decision has been made and will be definite when the elections will be called at the end of April.

We chose the date only based on sporting reasons. In that perspective it's the best option. This way, the election process won't influence the team, which is what we have been looking for. We've tried for the sporting interests to be affected the least possible.

Before the decision on the date we have informed Pep Guardiola and we have analyzed it with Txiki Begiristain. Although every date had its pros and contras but both thought it was a good decision."

Read more:
Strong rumours about elections on 13 June

[previous post:] Catalan radio stations RAC 1 and Catalunya Ràdio both claim that a decision has been made during a board meeting this afternoon that the elections for president of FC Barcelona will be held on Sunday 13 June 2010. It wouldn't yet be sure if that exact date will be announced or if the board will say that the elections will be "at the end of the season" or "in June".

Boix will not choose between Godall and Ferrer

Asked about his role in the upcoming elections for president of FC Barcelona (read more here), Barcelona economic vice-president Joan Boix has said in interviews with Catalan radio stations Cataluny Ràdio, first, and RAC 1, later, that he will not actively take part in the campaign by joining the candidacy of Barcelona first vice-president Alfons Godall or that of Barcelona assets vice-president Jaume Ferrer:

"I'm friends with all my board colleagues and especially with the two candidates. I think both can be great presidents and that they have similar ideas. As a friend, I was at the presentation of Alfons and when Jaume will present his project and invites me, I will also be there.

In the first place, I'm disappointed, frustrated, call it the way you like, that we haven't been able to form one single board candidacy. Friendship is above everything, it's one of the most important values and that's why this is an uncomfortable situation for me. I never give up, I'm still fighting for a deal between the two because I see this as a personal failure.

Like the majority, I was a great campaigner for one candidacy because of the successful model we have put in place but it hasn't been possible until this moment. I still hope the lines are open but, although I'm not losing hope, I think it's very difficult.

At a personal level, I didn't yet decide what I will do. What is clear to me is that I will continue at the club until 30 June, side-by-side with my president until the end of the mandate, trying to continue with a correct management of the club and to organize exemplary and neutral elections.

After that, I could leave or, if I have the motivation and the new president thinks I can add something to his project in one way or another, I will look at the offer and make a decision. I'm not excluding anything."

Read more:
Position vice-president Joan Boix remains unclear
Boix could be the consensus board candidate
Godall officially confirms presidential candidacy

Godall officially confirms presidential candidacy

Speaking at a press conference at this campaign's headquarters in the centre of the city of Barcelona on Monday evening, Barcelona first vice-president has publicly announced that he will take part in the elections for president of FC Barcelona later this year. As this blog revealed on Sunday, the slogan of the campaign of Alfons Godall will we "+BARCA" (More Barça).

Barcelona president Joan Laporta showed his support for Godall by being present at the event. Except the five board members who support Barcelona vice-president Jaume Ferrer (read more here), all other nine directors were present.

Catalan radio station Catalunya Ràdio nevertheless claims that vice-president Joan Boix and director Maria Elena Fort, despite their presence, didn't yet decide whose candidacy they will join (read more here).

read a live report of the announcement here

Guixa wants three sports directors

Asked if he will bring with him another sports director if he's elected president, Barcelona presidential candidate Jaume Guixà has said in an interview with Catalan radio station Catalunya Ràdio that he won't count on current Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain:

"I have already publicly said that I respect the whole technical staff of Pep and that I won't continue with Txiki. Txiki has to leave together with Laporta. I don't want someone who follows the results of the games by teletext [television information retrieval service], who can't sign players, who isn't up for the job.

We need an alternative and that's very clear to me. I liked him a lot as player, but not as sports director. Do I have a candidate? Yes, but since the elections haven't been called yet, I cannot give you any names.

And it won't be one person, we will organize things in such a way that we will have three sports directors. Because the structure of the club has to develop further, and one of our focuses will be the youth academy."

Read more:
Son "Great Captain" Segarra in board team Guixa
Godall wants Txiki Begiristian to continue
Guixa won't make transfer promises