Benedito: "We want to keep the spirit of 2003"

Barcelona presidential candidate Agustí Benedito gave an interview to Catalan regional newspaper Diari de Tarragona.


You were the first candidate to come out. Why?
Some media started publishing the rumour that we wanted to take part in the elections. And since we have always defended that we want to talk in a clear way, we decided to confirm this rumour. We did it on 8 October.

There are other candidates who have chosen to stay silent.
I don't look at what other pre-candidates do. Our goal is to gain visibility step by step and I think it is a strategy that is good for us.

You are closely linked to the first 'era' of Joan Laporta. In fact, you were one of the driving forces behind the former 'Elefant Blau' opposition group. Does that benefit or harm you?
It's true. I got to know Laporta in 1997 and since then we have had a close relationship. In fact, I feel very much part of the victory of Laporta in 2003 and I am very proud of my contribution to that. I think that this project, when it is updated and renewed, is still very valid and I think the club members also have that idea.

So what has changed since 2003?
There has been a moment when Laporta and his board decided to turn the situation around and to abandon the project with which they won the elections. Laporta has done some very good things, other things of that project he has not done and others he has done in a bad way. So our idea is to keep the spirit of that program.

Joan Laporta has changed a lot over the last years?
I think that he has lost control of many things. The latest example is the use of politics. He has used his position as president for personal gain. That is one of the biggest mistakes a president of Barça can make.

Six titles have been won, Barça has been hailed as one of the best teams in history and still the feeling is that people want a change. That is difficult to understand...
It's true. It sounds strange. This will surely be the first campaign at the club in which the sporting theme will not be the main focus of discussion. We are the best team in the world, but we should now make sure that the rest of the club is also at the same level of excellence of the football team.

What role does Agustí Benedito play in a war that seems to have only two key people: the continuity candidate and Sandro Rosell?
We are another alternative. When we made public our intention to take part in the elections, it was very clear to us that our project would be the best project and we keep on believing that. That's why we will continue with it.

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

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