Candidacies carrying out polls

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that the position of Barcelona first vice-president Alfons Godall during the informal board meeting on Monday - wishing to set up a joint candidacy with former Barcelona economic vice-president Ferran Soriano - was based on his candidacy's latest poll result (read more here).

The poll would show that Godall or Barcelona assets vice-president Jaume Ferrer could not win the elections alone, with former Barcelona sports vice-president Sandro in that case being the winner, but that Soriano can already count on 20% of the voting intentions without having confirmed his candidacy and that a candidacy that would include Soriano, Godall and Ferrer would win the elections.

The candidacy of Ferrer would carry out a new poll this evening among 400 club members before the game against Osasuna. An earlier poll, dated 27 February, would have had the following result: Rosell 40%, Soriano 10%, Godall 7% and Ferrer 3%. According to that poll, 30% of the voters would still be undecided.

When the same poll included a Soriano-Godall-Ferrer candidacy among the options, that candidacy reportedly got more than 30% of the votes, while the percentage for Rosell dropped and the number of undecided voters stayed the same.

During an informal meeting an Monday evening, Ferrer would have told people that were present, among which some Barcelona bloggers, that polls show that 30% of the members would vote for Rosell, but that the other 70% would not consider in any case a vote for the former sports vice-president.

Barcelona presidential candidate Agustí Benedito meanwhile said on Monday during the presentation of his logo that his polls show that a large majority of the voters do not yet have an idea about who they will vote for: "Our studies tell us that 99 days before the elections, 83% of the club members didn't yet made a decision of their vote."

Read more:
Soriano carrying out election poll
Poll Rosell confirms his big lead
Ferrer feels backed by own poll

Rosell to come out in second half of April

Spanish sports agency EFE claims that Barcelona presidential candidate Sandro Rosell will officially present his candidacy in the beginning of the second half of the month of April (read more here).

Rosell, who reportedly has regular private contacts with the press, would have initially planned to hold the first public meeting immediately after the official calling of the elections but would now have brought the presentation forward.

The former sports vice-president would already have made a decision on his headquarters, that will be inaugurated soon, and would have a campaign budget of between 700.000 and 800.000 euros.

Read more:
Rosell could present project year after goal Iniesta
Rosell will have board of 17 or 18 directors
Rosell planning to reform club statutes

Sala i Martin considering his position

A few hours after the board meeting in which was decided that Barcelona president Joan Laporta would support Barcelona assets vice-president Jaume Ferrer and not Barcelona first vice-president Alfons Godall in the presidential elections on 13 June (read more here), Barcelona treasurer Xavier Sala i Martín, who was part of the candidacy of Godall, put yesterday early morning a note on his Facebook page:

"First of all, thanks to the hundreds of people who have sent me private and public messages to express their concern about my state of mind. I can assure all of you that I am fine. Secondly, I can confirm that some of the stories you've been hearing and reading about Barça are true.

You all know that Alfons Godall had my unconditional support but the circumstances have made it look like as if he will not lead a candidacy. Taking this into account, I feel the freedom to make the decisions that I feel are appropriate and to support that person who I think will serve our club best, if I will in the end give my support to someone.

What is beyond any doubt is that the commitment I have towards president Joan Laporta and the commitment that I have towards all the club members to work with body and soul (and heart) for Barça remains strong and I will continue to work for Barça until the last day."

Later that morning, Sala i Martín commented on the events in an interview with Catalan radio station RAC 1 saying that he didn't yet know what his role in the election process now will be:

"I'm not sure what to do now. My main option was a candidacy of Alfons Godall with the support of Joan Laporta that included others. As this now doesn't seem to be possible, I take the freedom to decide what I will do now. At this moment I cannot say to whom I will give my support or if I will support someone.

It is true that the president has asked me to run, first last Friday, and Saturday again. But I said no, that my option was the one I was part of. I explained him my reasons, but I basically refused because Laporta leads the laportism and Sala i Martín should lead the salaimartinism and because of intellectual coherence I've said no.

Will I just stay until the end of the season and then leave? That has always been and is an option. I don't know what I will do. What I do know is that I want to thank Joan Laporta for giving me the chance to be part of this board that has created the best Barça in history and to be a witness of those great successes.

Because of my commitment towards Joan Laporta and the club members I will fulfil my task with heart and soul until the end, that is guaranteed. What I will do after 30 June is something I don't yet know."

Read more:
Laporta confirms board support for Ferrer
Godall not leaving electoral race
Sala doesn't exclude future candidacy

Soriano to make a decision before Friday

Spanish news agency EFE claims that former Barcelona economic vice-president Ferran Soriano will decide before Friday if he will take part in the campaign ahead of the elections for president of FC Barcelona in June.

A source close to Soriano would have told the news agency that Soriano wants to announce his decision at next meeting of the board of directors of Spanish airline Spanair, of which he is the chairman, on Friday.

Soriano would think that his position at Spanair is compatible with that of president of FC Barcelona and that the latest events in the Barcelona board could be in favour of a joint candidacy with Barcelona first vice-president Alfons Godall, but the former vice-president on the other hand doesn't want to put in danger his relationship with the shareholders of his company.

A few directors of Spanair would be against a candidacy of Soriano, although one of them is reportedly Jordi Mestre, who could be part of the board team of presidential candidate Sandro Rosell (read more here).

Read more:
Spanair board divided on Soriano candidacy
Ferrer becomes official continuity candidate
Soriano to announce candidacy next month

Laporta confirms board support for Ferrer

Early this morning, a few hours after the board meeting in which was decided that Barcelona president Joan Laporta and the majority of the board members would support Barcelona assets vice-president Jaume Ferrer and not Barcelona first vice-president Alfons Godall in the presidential elections on 13 June (read more here), Laporta put the following statement on his personal website:


"On Monday afternoon, I met with fellow colleagues of the board of directors, two members of which - Alfons Godall and Jaume Ferrer - were, as is publicly known, leading two pre-candidacies ahead of the upcoming elections at FC Barcelona. The other board colleagues were also present, with the exception of Albert Perrín, who is in Argentina, Magda Oranich and Alfons Castro, who were excused because of professional reasons, and Patrick Auset, who lives in Perpignan. Magda and Patrick have been following the decisions by phone.

In recent months I have looked for unity among the members of the board I have the honour to lead in the forthcoming elections on 13 June because all of them have shown their ability to guarantee the continuity of the club model that we have used over the past seven years. All of them have shown strength to resist and courage in difficult situations and they have all been firm in the decisions we have taken and applied in the benefit of the club.

And now, by a large majority, we have decided to close the ranks and to have one candidate coming from the current board, which will ensure the continuity of the current model that has brought Barça to live the best moments in its history. We have put an end to historical urgencies. We have Champions Leagues, the World Cup for Clubs, leagues..., we have entered a new international dimension, we are respected by the world of sports, there's the success of the sections... We are a reference. The current Barça model is the reference.

Jaume Ferrer, according to a large majority of those present at the meeting, will head this united candidacy that will guarantee a responsible project so that our club continues to enjoy the sports, social and economic successes of recent years. I think, and I'm convinced of it, that the work we began in June of 2003 after having received the support of the majority of the members still has a long way to go. And that the candidacy that has a large majority and has my full support ensures the best future we all want for our Barça. This project, which will be full of content and new existing proposals, will be explained in detail in the coming days.

Visca el Barça!"

Read more:
Godall not leaving electoral race
Ferrer becomes official continuity candidate

Godall not leaving electoral race

Barcelona first vice-president and presidential candidate Alfons Godall has put out the following statement after the latest reports about Barcelona president Joan Laporta and the majority of the board giving their support to Barcelona assets vice-president Jaume Ferrer (read more here):


"Regarding to reports in the last hours, I want to clarify that:

I'm not withdrawing.
The president and other members of the current board of directors of FC Barcelona have decided to give their support to another board colleague to lead what they call the continuity candidacy.

I believe in the +BARÇA model.
My proposal for the future Barça that is called +BARÇA guarantees the successful management model in the sports, economic and social area, the catalanism of the club and the solidary and global commitment of the club.

I represent an integrative candidacy.
I've always been a supporter of coming together and joining forces, overcoming old disputes, and leaving room for new people and new ideas. In this regard, I have always been open to reach an agreement with other people because I believe that joining forces is a wonderful opportunity to win and to guarantee a good management proposal.

I do not believe in self-centredness.
I did not want to accept dictates about not integrating other people in my project. I think that projects are more important than people; therefore I will never put my leadership before the project.

I continue working.
Because of all that, I wish to declare that I continue working to make possible this future option, that is open and integrative, that guarantees the successful model, the catalanism of the club and its commitment to solidarity.

I thank you for the expressions of support I have received in the last hours and we will stay in touch through the usual channels."

Read more:
Ferrer becomes official continuity candidate

Ferrer becomes official continuity candidate

Yesterday evening at 7 pm, Barcelona president Joan Laporta organized an emergency board meeting at the offices of his law firm in Barcelona. The point of discussion were the results of polls carried out by the candidadcy of Barcelona first vice-president Alfons Godall and by the club.

The polls showed that it would be difficult for Godall to win the elections on his own, that Barcelona economic vice-president Ferran Soriano was doing better than him and that a joint candidacy of Godall and Soriano, led by the second, would win the elections in June. After been informed about the results, Godall told Laporta during the weekend that he didn't want to continue as candidate.

Godall yesterday repeated that he would not lead a candidacy that would not be supported by Soriano and that he would accept Soriano to head the project, something that was opposed to by Laporta and Barcelona assets vice-president Jaume Ferrer. The president, who also would not have been happy with the way of campaigning of Godall over the last weeks, withdrew his support for Godall.

Laporta, who did not want to support Soriano leading a candidacy with Godall, then proposed to Barcelona treasurer Xavier Sala i Martín to run for president. After Sala i Martín rejected the offer, as did Barcelona economic vice-president Joan Boix, Laporta decided to give his support to Ferrer, who wants to continue with an own candidacy without making a deal with Soriano.

Laporta after the meeting personally called with the board members who could not be present, among which vice-president Albert Perrín and directors Magda Oranich and Patrick Auset, to explain them what had been discussed and decided. Almost all directors would now support Ferrer.

sources: rac 1, sport, efe, el mundo deportivo, el 9 esportiu, la vanguardia