The Quote: Xavier Sala i Martin

"Today it is guaranteed that the club members will be able to vote for the continuation of the dream."


Xavier Sala i Martín,
Barcelona treasurer

read more election quotes here

Rosell skeptical about economic situation

Barcelona presidential candidate and former sports vice-president Sandro Rosell gave an interview to the Spanish version of men's monthly magazine Esquire. Some excerpts.


The presidency
"The biggest danger of being president of Barça is that you lose it. That is why you should surround yourself with competent people, who have a solid head on their shoulders and who always tell you the truth. I sure will not allow the club to get involved in political issues."

The economic situation of the club
"I'm skeptical. Each week new things come out. The truth is that it's difficult to believe everything that is said by the current board. The club members have the right to know the truth and if I get elected, I will convoke a general assembly to inform about the real economic situation. I also think the sale of the Miniestadi should be reconsidered because it looks like Barça in the end won't earn a lot from it."

Johan Cruyff
"I cannot forbid anyone to give his opinion. Besides, even if I would, he would continue talking."

Read more:
Rosell gives first interview ahead of elections
Which role could Cruyff play in the elections?
Live Coverage: Twitter chat session Sandro Rosell

Soriano still not showing his cards

Speaking to Catalan television channel TV3, former Barcelona economic vice-president and current chairman of Spanish airline Spanair Ferran Soriano has repeated that he will take part in the upcoming elections but didn't specify what his role will be:

"I respect those who are announcing their candidacies, but I think the right moment to talk is when the elections are called. That's when I will take part by explaining what I think and what my opinion is, because I have learnt a lot of things during my five years at the club.

What happened in 2003 was extraordinary and it's important to explain what we did and which things were important. I will talk when the process start, something I didn't do when I left the club because I didn't want to stir things up.

One experiences and thinks about Barça with emotion and love and I cannot wait for the electoral period to start. I hope they will be called as soon as possible. Elections are a fabulous time, very emotional, because all of us will be able to intervene in the process in a constructive way.

Fans of other clubs like Manchester United or Arsenal are jealous of a club like Barça, because they cannot decide in any way who will preside their club and they're totally dependent of the owners.

I don't know how many candidates there will be in the end because not all of them will pass the signatures' cut. I think it's important that there's a diversity of opinions and I think it's good that several voices from the 2003 boad can be heard."

Read more:
Soriano meeting with Godall and Sala
Rosell favourite for the gamblers
Soriano scoring in Japan with management book

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

The Pundit: Sergi Pamies on the electoral built-up

« Fasten your seatbelts and get ready to live a turbulent period in which, besides the nice words, the intoxication in its multiple and most appetizing forms will prevail. As far as I know, the built-up to the elections consists of defending your project and, at the same time, throwing dirt on the others. Those are compatible and simultaneous activities. »

Sergi Pàmies,
La Vanguardia

check more pundit talk

Live Coverage: Press conference Godall

Tonight at 7 pm local time, Barcelona vice-president Alfons Godall has called a press conference, in which he is expected to announce his candidacy for the presidency of FC Barcelona.

This blog will follow the events. Re-fresh!



Two hours before the press conference, Alfons Godall put a last message on his Facebook page: "Friends. I will put on a suit and a tie and I'm going to our seat!! I've prepared everything and now i can only hope that everything goes well!! Come join us there!!!! Visca el Barça i Visca Catalunya!!!!"

7:10

Godall has not appeared yet in his headquarters.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta is present at the candidacy's seat in the centre in Barcelona, as are vice-presidents Rafael Yuste and Joan Boix.

Alfons Godall appearing on stage, gets supporting hug from Laporta.

7:15

All board members are present, except the five who support Barcelona assets vice-president Jaume Ferrer.

Sala i Martin will take the word.

Sala: "We are here to announce that all club members will be able to vote for the continuation of the dream we are currently living, among others thanks to the best president in the history in the history of the club.

The president is a key figure, he should stick to a model. And that's not a galacticos model or a samba model. Our model started in the 1970s with Rinus Michiels and was continued by Cruyff in the 1990s. For Laporta, this model was clear from the start. And one man was by his side from the start as vice-president: Alfons Godall.

A president should also be able to take decisions. And Laporta has taken them. In December 2003, he took the right decision not to dismiss Frank Rijkaard. Godall was by his side, while a certain vice-president wanted to replace Rijkaard.

A few months later, Laporta took the decision to sign a player from Madrid, Samuel Eto'o, whil one vice-president had doubts because he didn't want to annoy the president of Madrid. But Alfons Godall was on the right side.

In 2008, the president took the correct and brave decision to sign Josep Guardiola. And by his side, there was Alfons Godall, again. I present you: Alfons Godall."

7:25

Godall takes the word.

"Sorry for the people who are having to stand outside because of the number of people present. Welcome to my friend Jan Laporta and everyone who is present.

I announce that Alfons Godall will take part in the elections. We present the slogan and the logo: +BARCA. Mes Barça. More Barça. We also present this headquarters, that has proven to be too small today.

We have lived the best period in the history of the club, as several older members who are presented will be able to confirm, like my father who's a member for over 50 years.

The team has won 11 trophies in 6 years, and there could follow more. The trophies have been won by a certain model, based on the Holland school. Besides the sports results, we have also cleaned up the economic situation.

We want more Barça, more successes, more economic growthe, a turnover of 1.000 millions in six years. We want more assets, more fan clubs, more youth academy, more emotions, more sections, more members, more solidarity, a more global Barça. That's why I present my candidacy."

7:40

End of speech Godall.

Minguella: "Laporta didn't keep his promises"

Possible presidential candiate Josep Maria Minguella gave an interview to Catalan sports paper El 9 Esportiu. This is the second part of the interview.


What is clear is that it won't be a campaign based on transfers.
When there has been a change of president - whether in the case of Núñez, Gaspart, Florentino... – it was always because the sports part of the club didn't function and because there was a general feeling of discomfort. Here it's completely different. Everyone is happy with the successes.

It's not a matter of signing a new sports director, a coach or a centre forward. Everyone will want that Guardiola continues. And that's good. First because the team does well, but it will also allow to put more emphasis on the social aspect. On the transparency of the board, the participation of the club members, on the management of the club. In short, on what I'm already defending for many years.

Explain yourself...
Barça and Real Madrid are great clubs that are owned by the club members and it is not normal that the latter don't know what happens. Here there has been criticism when Madrid did the reclassification without hearing the members and now they are doing the same. They have sold land, approved the reclassification of the Miniestadi and the member hasn't been informed at all. In what other fields can such important movements of money happen without even consulting the owners of the club?

The future of Barça has to be a board and some executives who take care of the day to day business, but at the same time creating zones of influence, control and participation where the members can give their approval. You should create a senate or a parliament, name it how you want, who receive direct information from the board. The main policy areas, like the club's assets administration, should be subject to the will of the member.

In summary, more transparency?
That's the key. I cannot understand that a president of a club like Barça doesn't explain the things he does. The last example is the friendly in Kuwait. Economically, it has been an excellent deal. Receiving two million euros for a holiday game with a team that almost entirely consists of youth players is a great operation. But, very soon there are reports claiming we received only one million eight hundred, others say one million seven hundred...

Wouldn't it be better if the club would say: "We have received this amount". And in case there was a commission fee: "That amount for us plus a commission of that much". Then the matter is clear at once. Now they don't say anything and afterwards all kinds of doubts arise. People say: "Didn't Laporta, his brother and Yuste go to Kuwait a month and a half ago? And now it turns out that..." You should keep thing simple.

Why can't they openly explain what the club has received? Everything should be explained. I'm not talking about making the contracts of the players public, but about those other things. Why do we have to be informed indirectly about what the general director earns? If we know what the prime minister and the ministers earn, why can't the members of Barça know what the executives earn? It's something I have never understood. I'm not talking about making the salary of a secretary public, but about important things that would make the relations with the members more fluid.

How do you look back at the presidency of Joan Laporta?
Laporta is white and black. He has done excellent things, like signing first Rijkaard and then Guardiola. You just have to take a look at the results. Despite the last period of Rijkaard, the titles cannot be questioned. Some will say he has been influenced, but it's always the president who makes the final decision. But having done all that, he has also undertaken personal actions that are incomprehensible.

When things go wrong, if the results aren't there, no president in the world can withstand the pressure. He, however, has been fortunate – although it has to be said that that's also his merit - that the sporting results have been excellent. But instead of enjoying the good times, he has gotten involved in a series of unnecessary incidents.

And he didn't assess the risk, nor the consequences of all this. All those things have caused people to say: "I support Guardiola, but I don't support Laporta". He wasted a unique opportunity to present himself as a unique winner in the history of the club. He has a great sporting legacy, but on a personal level he has done things that the club member has not accepted. People will more remember the teams of Rijkaard and Guardiola than the mandate of Laporta.

Has he disappointed you?
When we meet, which is not often, our relationship is very affectionate, but I do feel disappointed because I believed in him. When he arrived, he put an end to twenty years of dealing with thing in a certain way and he had very clear ideas. He wanted to open the club, in every sense, democratizing it, bringing it closer to the members, making it transparent.

It was totally groundbreaking. Until that point that in the middle of the campaign when I was asked who I wanted to win if I wouldn't win myself, I said Laporta. Then later, when he came to power, he hasn't done anything of what he had promised. The club has won titles but everything that he had promised regarding the revolution of the club is still a pending issue.

this was the second and last part of this interview. you can read the first part here.

Read more:
Minguella and Medina behind Rexach candidacy
Will former super-agent run for president?
Minguella hoping for non-Laporta linked candidate

interview: àngel ponz