Businessman linked with Nunez to run for president

Spanish radio station Radio Marca claims that Catalan businessman Juan Manuel Alcaraz has made the decision to take part in the elections for president of FC Barcelona in June of this year.

Alcaraz would have been sounded out by all the other candidacies to join them but would in the end have decided to run for president with an own project that reportedly has the strong support of a group of Catalan business people.

The new presidential candidate would have an excellent social and economic network and is said to be a close friend of former Barcelona vice-president Josep Lluís Nuñez i Navarro, the son of ex-president Josep Lluis Nuñez.

Juan Manuel Alcaraz is a 42-year old entrepreneur from the construction sector. Since 2007, he is married with Spanish television presenter Alejandra Prat.

Read more:
New candidates getting ready to appear on stage
Former president Nunez to run with support Cruyff
Former candidate Angel Fernandez will not run

The Rosell Project - Part 4: The Board (2)

In June 2008, former Barcelona sports vice-president Sandro Rosell announced at a press conference that he would take part in the next presidential elections. Last month, he confirmed in an interview with Catalan radio station Ràdio Barcelona that nothing had changed since that announcement.

Despite the fact that Rosell reportedly decided not to start campaigning before the end of this year (and maybe not even before the elections are called), he would be close to finishing his program. Several media have in the past weeks reported on his project. This blog will give an overview of what has been published so far.


After a long selection process, Rosell would be almost ready with the composition of what will be his board if he would become the next president of FC Barcelona. Rosell might still be looking for a strong figure who could become economic vice-president. Besides the nine names that will almost certainly be part of Rosell's board (read more here), several other people are rumoured to be among the candidates. An overview.


Women:

Rosell would have selected three women who he wants as director in his board. At least two of them will effectively be part of his candidacy. Pilar Guinovart, head of external relations of the guild of restaurant owners of Barcelona, would become the board member responsible for the social area.


Current vice-president:

Catalan television channel TV3 claimed that it's not excluded that one of the four Barcelona vice-presidents that have been involved in the Barcagate case could join Rosell. People of Rosell's entourage reportedly nevertheless told Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo that this option has almost become impossible because none of them has resigned after they discovered the investigations.


Former vice-president:

Several media claim that Gabriel Masfurroll, chairman and managing director of USP Hospitals, a network of private hospitals in Spain, southern Europe and Morocco, could be part of Rosell's candidacy. Masfurroll is a former Barcelona board member under Josep Lluís Núñez and a presidential candidate in 2000. He was vice-president under Joan Gaspart until he resigned in December 2002.

One year ago, Masfurroll said in an interview with Spanish news site noticias.com that he already agreed with Sandro Rosell on a possible partnership in the coming elections shortly after the latter left the board in 2005: "If Sandro wants me to join him, I will be delighted to do so. And if not, I will stay at home, no hard feelings. I would have liked to run for president myself, but I came to the conclusion that it's not worth it."

On Thursday 8 October, Rosell assisted the presentation of a new book written by Masfurroll. Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez was also present. Asked about the upcoming elections, Rosell didn't want to enter the questions of the journalists: "Wait and see."

The media nevertheless don't seem able to agree on what Masfurroll's role might be: he could become board member, he could become involved in the club's foundation or he could play no role at all. Talks between Rosell and Masfurroll would still be ongoing and one media even reports that Masfurroll could join another candidate or not take part in the elections, hoping the winner would then offer him a post afterwards.


Other possible board members:

- Ricardo Rodrigo, chairman of the RBA Group, a communication company that, among other things, publishes popular magazines like 'Lecturas' and 'Semana', as well as the Spanish edition of 'National Geographic'.

- Roger Granados, lawyer.

- Josep Maria Prat, director of classical music promotor Ibercamera.

- Marc Ros, general director of marketing and advertising agency Aftershare.tv.

- José Daurella, chairman of bottling company Cobega, that is authorized to manufacture and sell products of the Coca-Cola Company in large areas of Spain.

- Jordi Mestre, chairman of the Expo Group, a chain of Spanish hotels and resorts, among which the Princesa Sofia hotel close to the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona.

- Jordi Calsamiglia, lawyer specialized in sports law.

- Josep Ramón Vidal, architect.


this is the fourth and last part of this series. you can read the whole series here.


Read the previous parts:
The Rosell Project - Part 1: The Club
The Rosell Project - Part 2: The Team
The Rosell Project - Part 3: The Board (1)

Pilar Guinovart

Gabriel Masfurroll

Ricardo Rodrigo

Roger Granados

Josep Maria Prat

Marc Ros

sources for this series:
el mundo deportivo, sport, el 9 esportiu, as, gol, noticias.com, pelikano, britcorner, intereconomía tv, tv3, rac 1, ràdio barcelona, radio marca, catalunya ràdio and own research

The Rosell Project - Part 3: The Board (1)

In June 2008, former Barcelona sports vice-president Sandro Rosell announced at a press conference that he would take part in the next presidential elections. Last month, he confirmed in an interview with Catalan radio station Ràdio Barcelona that nothing had changed since that announcement.

Despite the fact that Rosell reportedly decided not to start campaigning before the end of this year (and maybe not even before the elections are called), he would be close to finishing his program. Several media have in the past weeks reported on his project. This blog will give an overview of what has been published so far.


Several names have already been put forward as possible board members. On Tuesday 6 October, Catalan television channel TV3 revealed ten names of people (Rosell included) who would be part of the next Barcelona board of directors if Sandro Rosell would be chosen as president.

Asked about the story, one of the people mentioned, Carles Vilarrubí, confirmed in an interview with Catalan radio station RAC 1 that this list was correct: "It's true that I am part of the project of Sandro Rosell. And the names that have been put forward are the correct ones."


Former board members who left the club in 2005, at or around the same time as Rosell:

- Josep Maria Bartomeu, would become sports vice-president.

- Jordi Moix, would become the director responsible for the assets administration.

- Xavier Faus, would become economic vice-president.

- Jordi Monés, would become the director responsible for the medical services.


New board members:

- Ramón Pont, chairman of the Borges Group, producers of, among other things, several varieties of olive oil.

- Jordi Cardoner Casaus, the grandson of the popular former Barcelona vice-president (for over 20 years) Nicolau Casaus. Cardoner, who last month confirmed he is part of Rosell's project during an interview with Catalan radio station Catalunya Ràdio, was reportedly wanted by several presidential candidates. He would become the director responsible for the social area, possibly as vice-president.

- Manel Arroyo, managing director of Dorna Sports, an international sports management and marketing company, that is among other things the exclusive holder of all commercial and television rights of the MotoGP World Championship since 1992.

- Carles Vilarrubí, financial entrepreneur involved in telecom, media, hotels and investment banking, vice-chairman of the Rothschild Bank Spain and president of the Jumping Owner's Club of the FEI, the international governing body of equestrian sports.

- Javier Bordas, hospitality and entertainment enterpreneur, chief executive of the Costa Este Group, among other things owner of the Sotavento Beach Club and the Opium Mar night club in Barcelona.


this is the third part of a four-parts series. the next and last part will cover the people who are rumoured to possibly also be part of rosell's board. you can read the whole series here.


Read the previous parts of this series:
The Rosell Project - Part 1: The Club
The Rosell Project - Part 2: The Team

Josep Maria Bartomeu

Jordi Moix

Xavier Faus

Jordi Monés

Ramón Pont

Jordi Cardoner Casaus, with his grandfather Nicolau Casaus
(copyright picture: jordi cardoner casaus)

Manel Arroyo

Carles Vilarrubí

Javier Bordas

sources for this series:
el mundo deportivo, sport, el 9 esportiu, as, gol, pelikano, britcorner, intereconomía tv, tv3, rac 1, ràdio barcelona, radio marca, catalunya ràdio and own research

The Rosell Project - Part 2: The Team

In June 2008, former Barcelona sports vice-president Sandro Rosell announced at a press conference that he would take part in the next presidential elections. Last month, he confirmed in an interview with Catalan radio station Ràdio Barcelona that nothing had changed since that announcement.

Despite the fact that Rosell reportedly decided not to start campaigning before the end of this year (and maybe not even before the elections are called), he would be close to finishing his program. Several media have in the past weeks reported on his project. This blog will give an overview of what has been published so far.


Guardiola
Rosell fully supports the working methods and ideas of Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola, who will stay on as Barcelona manager if he wishes so. Guardiola will be given more decision power, for example regarding the transfers and the youth academy, and would become a 'British-style' manager.

Sports director
The position of sports director will disappear in the new club structure, which would mean that current Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain will have to leave the club.

Incoming transfers
Rosell will start working on the transfers during the first months of next year. The transfer operations will also depend on the financial situation of the club, on which Rosell has some doubts (read more here).

Cesc
Although several media have claimed that Rosell would already have an agreement with Arsenal midfielder and former Barcelona youth player Cesc Fàbregas (22), both the player (in public) and Rosell (in private) have denied there would be a deal.

Robinho
If Guardiola wishes to sign Manchester City winger Robinho (25) next summer, Rosell would be confident the deal can be done. As former Nike executive in Brazil, Rosell still follows the local market closely and has good contacts in the South-American country.

Puyol
Barcelona captain Carles Puyol (31) is seen as a club icon and will therefore be offered to become part of the club's coaching staff once his career has ended. This would not be linked to Puyol's upcoming decision to renew his expiring contract or to leave the club next summer.

African youth players
Rosell wants to focus more on African players and therefore wants to develop and open youth academies on that continent.

this is the second part of a four-parts series. the next part will cover the people who could be part of rosell's board. you can read the whole series here.


Read the first part of this series:
The Rosell Project - Part 1: The Club


sources for this series:
el mundo deportivo, sport, el 9 esportiu, as, gol, pelikano, britcorner, intereconomía tv, tv3, rac 1, ràdio barcelona, radio marca and own research