The Pundit: Joan Vehils on Soriano-Godall deal

« Soriano and Godall will close a deal. The private polls will help to make the final decision on who of the two will be the leader. »

Joan Vehils,
Sport

check more pundit talk

Benedito putting emphasis on financial transparency

In an interview with this blog, Barcelona presidential candidate Agustí Benedito has made clear that one of the key points of his candidacy will be financial transparency. The former member of Barcelona' sports and social commissions gave two examples of how he wants to make this concrete during the campaign.

In the first place, Benedito wants to make public the personal estates of all the members of his board team. Besides that, the detailled costs of his campaign will soon be made available online: "I can also advance that when we will have launched our new website, we will start to implement the policy of transparency by publishing our accounts on there."

you will be able to read the full interview with agusti benedito next week.

Read more:
Benedito: "I don't plan to announce transfers"
Eighty percent of the voters still undecided
Benedito starts second phase of campaign

Sala wants to attract sponsor for Unicef logo

Speaking to Catalan radio station RAC 1 at a conference about sports leadership in Barcelona yesterday, Barcelona treasurer Xavier Sala i Martin has launched the idea that the candidacy led by Barcelona first vice-president Alfons Godall could close a commercial deal with a firm to sponsor the Unicef logo on the club's shirts:

"We have already talked with a company that would want to sponsor, not the shirt of Barça, but that would want to pay so Barça can continue with Unicef on the shirts.

They could then use this is their own marketing campaigns saying that they are the ones that make it possible that Barça continues to be the club of the children around the world through Unicef.

But so Barça would keep on playing with Unicef on the shirts and for us this would be another way to make profitable the co-operation with Unicef, that in my opinion is already profitable as far as the image of Barça in the world is concerned."

Read more:
Sala: "Presidential transfers are against our model"
Ferrer has biggest media impact
Sala: "Rosell wants to sell us a product"

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

Lillo looking back at 2003 election campaign

In an interview with Catalan newspaper El Periódico, Almería manager Juan Manuel Lillo talked about the elections campaign of 2003 when he was, together with current Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola, part of the candidacy of Lluís Bassat:

"Pep called me and invited me to work with him. I never ask him what something is about. I don't even think about it. I go wherever needed. And when he proposed me to become the coach of Barça, what was there to think about! I also knew Lluís, so everything was very simple.

It is true that we focused all our attention on what we would do when we would win the elections, so that we didn't do anything to actually win. We were only thinking about and for Barça. That's Pep, more culé than the flag pole at the Camp Nou.

We didn't mention a single name, not regarding transfers, or coaches, or anything. We wanted that if people voted for us, it would be because of an idea, a project. We did not want the elections to be a catwalk of transfers. We maintained that policy, knowing it could play against us.

In the end, you think that if that was what the member decided, it just was not the right time for us to enter the club. Besides, all the people that were part of the candidacy - Lluís, Roca, Alemany, Pep - had very busy lives so that that the next day they just went on with what they were doing. Which is the proof of the integrity of all of them."

Read more:
Lillo would have been coach under Bassat
Could Guardiola be a future president?
Bassat: "Laporta invented Beckham transfer"

Guixa asks president Laporta to resign

Barcelona presidential candidate Jaume Guixà has today announced at a press conference that he wants Barcelona president Joan Laporta to step down as president because of his political involvement.

Below you find the translation of the letter he personally delivered at the club's offices this morning.


Dear Mr. Laporta,

As a club member of FC Barcelona and as a citizen of Catalonia I want to ask you, with all due respect, to resign as president of our club.

I have publicly stated that you have every right to engage in politics, and from a personal point of view I wish you success in your new endeavours, but I think it would be bad for the club that, during these hundred days that are left before the elections for the presidency of FC Barcelona, you would combine your position as candidate in the upcoming Catalan elections with, at the same time, continuing to represent a club that by definition has to be plural: the club is Catalan, above all, but is also global and belongs to all Catalans, regardless of their political views.

For all this, I want to formally ask you to put an end to this situation, which is, in my opinion, very harmful for FC Barcelona, although it could report you some benefits - especially regarding your fame - in your political project.

With all due respect and kind regards,

Jaume Guixà i Mora
Member of FC Barcelona

Read more:
Guixa: "Barça is a feeling"
The resignation letter of vice-president Franquesa
Guixa gets support of Spiderman

The Catalan Cave: Cristian Pulina (Eurosport)

in this section, we ask catalan and spanish sports journalists five questions about the elections for president of fc barcelona. today: cristian pulina from spanish news site eurosport.


1. You have publicly given your support to the candidacy of Alfons Godall? Why?
That's correct. Alfons Godall is part of the current and successful board, he therefore knows our way of working and Laporta also endorses his candidacy, so that's why I think that supporting him would be supporting the continuation of the work that has been done in the economic, sports and social area, and I think that the situation we are in now is difficult to improve. In my opinion, the continuity of the work is crucial in our success.

2. What would you do if in the end Ferran Soriano would head the continuity bid of Alfons Godall and Xavier Sala i Martín?
If Soriano would head the candidacy that would possibly be with the consent and the support of Godall, and so we would continue on the same path of "continuity" with a man of whom many, professionally, can only talk wonders. So yes, I would support that and in fact I would like it even better, because I believe that Soriano is very respected in the "Barcelona entourage", and that is very important to win.

3. What could change in the club if Sandro Rosell would be elected president?
Well, I cannot say things for certain, but I can not 100% trust a man who, when things went badly, wanted to impose his own views and distance Barça from the "philosophy" of Cruyff and fill the team with "names". The team was doing well with the "philosophy" of Cruyff and he didn't want to continue at Barça suggesting that he cares more about people listening to him and doing what he wants, than about the victories of Barça.

4. Some start to say that Agustí Benedito may be the surprise. Do you think that is possible?
I sincerely doubt that a lot.

5. Would Joan Laporta be re-elected if he could again run in the elections?
I think that if we would win "more than Madrid" this season and the basketball team at least manages to win the league title, he would win again, and by a landslide.

THE EXTRAS If you were a club member of Barça, who would you vote for or certainly not vote for?
I have been a club member of Barça, but I live far away and I put an end to it three or four years ago because I could not take advantage of the benefits. If I could, I would vote for Laporta. And if not, for Godall or for the "trio" headed by Soriano.

All your possessions are at stake. Give the top-3 of the elections on 13 June.
I think Rosell will win ahead of the “continuity group” that is now lead by Godall but that could end up being led by Soriano.

Thank you for this interview and your time. Good luck in covering the rest of the season and the elections.

read the previous episodes of this series:
francisco ávila (efe) - miquel pellicer (el mundo deportivo) - edu polo (ona fm) - abraham clotet (sport) - victor lozano (onda cero) - sergi de juan (el 9 esportiu)