Perrin: "Txiki will take a sabbatical year"

Barcelona institutional vice-president Albert Perrín gave an interview to Catalan sports paper El 9 Esportiu.


You have been working for many years in the entourage of the club. First as member of the opposition and now as vice president. What does this last year mean for you?
It is the climax of the work done over many years to change the dynamics of the club. I was a staunch opponent at the time of mister Nuñez [president from 1978 to 2000], whom I respect. I think he did many good things for the club and if he would have left after Wembley [the first european cup won by barcelona in 1992], he would have been a great president. To have been able to be part of this explosion of the squad and to win all these titles has been a great satisfaction.

At that time, when you were in the opposition, would you have thought that you would live all this?
Not in my wildest dreams.

What do the tears of Pep Guardiola in Abu Dhabi represent?
These are the same tears that ran down my face, that of the president, of everyone. We all had to deal with very strong pressure and that's why the tears came. For us, the World Cup for Clubs was very important, it was the only trophy we didn't have. And it also represented winning six titles.

And you finished the year in Zurich attending the gala that crowned Messi as the best footballer in the world?
The gala evening in Zurich was very important for our football academy and for the country because Barça showed that our sporting model works. It's a reward for the whole academy. Three boys formed at the club since childhood are among the top five players in the world and one of them, Messi, is the best.

It is a recognition for all those people who never appear in the papers and who are doing the groundwork. These three boys have gotten there because so many people have given their very best. It was the cherry on the cake.

The big merit of this board is to have started two winning cycles in a row?
I have a special admiration for our sports director. In 2003, I said that the best signing Laporta had done was that of Txiki. It is an honest person, hard-working, who knows the market and the philosophy of the club. These two cycles have followed each other thanks to him.

You've said that you think he'll leave the club.
He has been very badly treated all those years. People said that Barça should sign Monchi [the sports director of sevilla]. He had to deal with a lot and I think that independent of who wins the elections, he will take a sabbatical year.

What was the most special moment of this year?
It's very difficult to choose one moment, because each trophy has been special. There is nevertheless one that, when you now look back, has been very important: the penalty saved by Pinto in Mallorca. Without that save, we wouldn't have lived all this.

How do you see the future of Guardiola?
He has a personality that is so strong, he is so intelligent, that he will be here as long as he wants. The successes are due to his intelligence and because he's a man of the club. He didn't have to follow any course to get to know the club...

It's obvious that we would like him to renew, but he will do that when he wants it. And we can be sure he will not move to Madrid. He doesn't move because of money. He must feel comfortable in his work, and here he is.

Do you see him as the Alex Ferguson of the club?
I think so, but he has his own personality and he will be who he wants to be.

this is the third and last part of this interview.

You can read the previous parts of the interview here:
Perrin: "Ferrer could accept being the second man"
Perrin: "Laporta deserves a statue"

interview: ferran correas and dani colmena