Young Barcelona fans setting up candidacy

Spanish news agency Europa Press claims that a group of young Barcelona club members, headed by Alexis Plaza, has decided to take part in the elections for president of FC Barcelona later this year with the 'Somni Blaugrana' [Blaugrana Dream] project, that would include 21 people between 25 and 30 years old.

Sources of the candidacy told the news agency: "The intention of the project is to bring the club closer to the youngest club members. We are now focusing on getting the necessary signatures and we're optimistic about that because we're getting the support of many members and non-members. We don't believe that the profile of the other candidates appeals to young people."

The 'Somni Blaugrana' candidacy would be lead by Alexis Plaza, a 27-year old economist who is active in several organizations of the entourage of the club. Plaza is said to be the grandson of one of the founders of FC Barcelona.

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Rexach will next week decide on candidacy

Speaking to journalists on Thursday, former Barcelona player and manager Carles Rexach has said that he is still looking at the option to run for president in the upcoming elections and that he plans to decide next week:

"It's possible that I take part in the elections. I will let the Madrid game pass by and next week we will make a decision. There are people I'm interested in, others not that much. The world of football is quite complicated, but we will not jump the gun."

According to Spanish news agency Europa Press, Rexach also assured that he already has a project in place that would include names of collaborators.

Madrid sports tabloid As claims that one of the main people behind the candidacy of Rexach is Antón Parera, a former Barcelona executive at the time of former presidents Josep Lluís Núñez and Joan Gaspart, under whom he was general director.

Read more:
Rexach seriously considering to run for president
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Rexach trying to set up campaign

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."

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Minguella-Medina project still looking for a leader

Although all media sources agree that Catalan lawyer Pau Molins [picture] has been offered to head the candidacy that is being set up by former Barcelona presidential candidates Josep Maria Minguella and Jordi Medina (read more here), there is uncertainty about his reaction to the proposal.

Spanish news agency Europa Press claims that sources close to Molins confirmed that the lawyer, who feels "very related to the club", is thinking about the offer and that he wants to take the time necessary to make the decision, which could be more than one week.

Catalan newspaper El Periódico claims that Molins, who would be very interested in the proposal, will decide in one or two weeks time. The offer would have been made to him last week during a meeting with Minguella and a group of club members.

Catalan news site E-notícies claims that Minguella, Medina and Molins had a dinner on Thursday 19 February. The answer would be expected for next week. If Molins accepts the offer, Minguella would become the sports vice-president of the list and Medina the social vice-president.

A source close to the Minguella-Medina project confirmed yesterday evening to this blog that there has indeed been an offer but that Molins didn't yet give a final answer. We were also told that, contrary to previous news reports (read more here), Catalan businessman Jordi Roche, the former president of the Catalan football federation, would not be part of this project.

Spanish news agency EFE claims that it looks like the deal with Molins won't go through - despite a source of the project being quoted as saying that the lawyer would be "a very valid" candidate - because Molins wouldn't be able to combine the campaign with his job. His defense of Catalan business man Fèlix Millet in a major corruption scandal (read more here) could also play a role: "That wouldn't be positive publicity in case he would be our candidate."

The group would now keep on working to find a candidate and announce a name in the next two to three weeks, with the source explaining: "The offer to Molins doesn't mean that we already have a clear idea, because we still have to assess a lot of things, not only about the candidate but also about the rest of the team.

I want to make clear that we are not selling the leadership of our group by auction. We are just talking with a lot of people and, for whatever reason, the names of two [the other being that of catalan journalist xavier bosch] of the many members we have considered have been leaked to the public."

Catalan sports paper El 9 Esportiu claims that Molins already rejected the offer to lead the candidacy because of professional reasons – the Millet case and the opening of a new office in Madrid - but that he did accept to be part of the list. The group would continue to search for a prestigious consensus figure to become the candidate.

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Molins has already rejected the offer and that Medina and Minguella continue to look for a candidate that has never before been directly involved in an election process, although it's not excluded that one of the two would in the end be the candidate. The final list should be ready in April.

Medina is quoted by the paper as saying: "We want to assemble a project that could be a third way between laportas and anti-laportistas and that unites the Barcelona fans. That's why the choice of the candidate isn't a fight and won't turn into an auction. We're not in a hurry, there's a lot of pre-campaign and campaign left and we don't want to take part in the battles."

Read more:
Lawyer offered to lead Minguella-Medina project
Catalan journalist rejects offer to run for president
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Rosell could announce candidacy on Monday

Spanish news agency Europa Press claims that former Barcelona sports vice-president Sandro Rosell could on Monday publicly announce that he will take part in the elections for president of FC Barcelona that will be held later this year.

Rosell will on Monday evening assist an event for young entrepreneurs where he will speak about his experiences as businessman and networker and he might use this occassion to confirm his intention to run for president in June.

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Rosell favourite for the gamblers

Catalan online newspaper El Debat reports that former Barcelona sports vice-president Sandro Rosell is for the gamblers at online betting site 'Betfair' the favourite to be chosen as president of FC Barcelona later this year.

Rosell was on Tuesday at noon noted at 1,4 euro for each euro input, with Barcelona assets vice-president Jaume Ferrer at this moment being seen as his biggest rival, with a rate of 3,3. A few hours before, Spanish news agency Europa Press had reported that Rosell was noted at 1,2 and Ferrer at 4.

The ranking
Sandro Rosell: 1,4
Jaume Ferrer: 3,3
Alfons Godall: 5,1
Ferran Soriano: 5,1
Agustí Benedito: 7,2
Jaume Guixà: 11,5

Read more:
Poll Rosell confirms his big lead
Poll result: Who should be the next president?
Ferrer feels backed by own poll