The Catalan Cave: Sergi De Juan (El 9 Esportiu)

in this section, we ask catalan and spanish sports journalists five questions about the elections for president of fc barcelona. today: sergi de juan from catalan sports paper el 9 esportiu.


1. What will Ferran Soriano do?
I think that Ferran Soriano will run in the elections but he won't define his position until he has finished his job at Spanair and I don't think that will take long. Personally I think that he will join the continuity candidacy of Godall and that they are still negotiating. It is anyway clear to me that or he will be the number one or he will take part on his own.

2. Rosell's decision not to speak until the official calling of the elections is the right one?
Since the motion of no confidence was presented, Sandro Rosell has been working (in silence) to reach the presidency of FC Barcelona. Everything is very well calculated and prepared. I guess that if he still hasn't publicly presented his project, that is because that is what his advisors have recommended him but I think that he will do it soon because the date of the elections is now known (13 June). He also doesn't need to come out in public quickly because the club member of Barça already knows him and Sandro has been meeting during all this time with fan clubs and various club members.

3. How many candidates will there be on the ballot paper on 13 June?
I think there will be three candidacies if they all keep their word and don't make big alliances between them. The two continuity candidacies (Soriano+Godall and Jaume Ferrer) and that of Rosell. For the other pre-candidates, and those who will come out in the future, it will be very difficult to obtain the signatures.

4. Will Jaume Ferrer continue with his own candidacy?
There is speculation that he could close a deal with the group of Sandro Rosell, but he has said on more than one occasion that he intends to take part on his own. With the passage of time, we will see what he will do although at this moment he is working to run alone and he has an own campaign team.

5. Do you think it will be a tough campaign, between the candidates and/or in the media?
Unfortunately I think so. As it's clear not much will be changed regarding the sports area (they will all keep Guardiola), old personal grudges can get involved because most come from the board that won in 2003. Let's hope, for the good of the club and its image, that the candidates will talk about projects and that they don't play it dirty. It will be difficult.

THE EXTRAS As a club member of Barça, who will you vote for?
I still don't know it. First I have to know all the options and all the projects.

All your possessions are at stake. Give the top-3 of the elections on 13 June.
Right now all the polls say that Sandro Rosell goes ahead but you can never trust them completely ...

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)