Number of voters and signatures announced

Speaking at a press conference earlier today, Barcelona chief executive Joan Oliver has said that Barcelona has at this moment 168.185 club members, 115.811 of which will have the right to vote in the elections for president of the club that will be held on Sunday 13 June 2010.

Oliver also confirmed that presidential candidates will need to collect the signatures of 2.095 club members to be able to take part in the final vote (read more here). The chief executive said the numbers could still change slightly.

Read more:
Who can vote in the elections?
Pre-candidates need to collect signatures
How many people will be able to vote?

Cartoon 34: With dramatic affect

*Stroke of affection*

(click the cartoon to enlarge)


by hooligags

source:
hooligags

see more cartoons here

Will candidates take part in football game?

Yesterday, a group on social networking site Facebook was launched that asks for a football game to be organized ahead of the elections in which the candidates for president of FC Barcelona would take part.

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that the group "Jo també vull un partit de futbol pre-electoral!" [I also want a pre-electoral football match!] was set up by the candidacy of Agustí Benedito. This has meanwhile been officially confirmed.

The description on the page reads as follows: "We want the elections at Barça to be a model of transparency and fair play. Therefore we want to challenge all the candidacies and the journalists to participate in a football tournament. Benedito, Rosell, Ferrer, Guixà and the journalists all wearing shorts for a good cause: the unity of the Barcelona fans!"

Read more:
Rexach has Facebook support he asked for
You can find us on Facebook
Rosell most popular candidate on Facebook

The Pundit: Lluis Simon on press relations Rosell

« At a breakfast with Sandro Rosell and twenty journalists, the presidential candidate asked all the guests for discretion. That's an exercise in faith. Journalists are, by definition, the biggest chatterers on earth and therefore - without anything having been written - everyone already knows everything that was said at the meeting. »

Lluís Simon,
El 9 Esportiu

check more pundit talk

Most read of the month

these were the five most read blog posts during the past month of march:


1.
Poll Voting Intentions: Three Months Before

2.
Logo and first campaign slogan Benedito revealed

3.
Rosell preparing election stunt

4.
Ferrer becomes official continuity candidate

5.
The Catalan Cave: Cristian Pulina (Eurosport)

Check the most read blog posts of:
October
November
December
January
February

[2003] Majo presents his candidacy

source: el mundo deportivo, tuesday 8 april 2003, pages 16 and 17

"We want a winning cub and an efficient and honest management"

Jordi Majó presented yesterday his pre-candidacy for the presidency of FC Barcelona during an event at a hotel in Barcelona at which around 60 collaborators assisted, besides his family.

The Catalan businessman announced a "strategic plan" that is yet to be drawn up and that will be used, in case he wins the elections, "to manage the club in an efficient way and with new people, who nevertheless have an extensive management experience".

Majó, who explained that his sporting goal is "a Barça with an own style and capable of winning several European cups both in football and basketball", clearly confirmed that "we will not make a pact".

In an informal and relaxed atmosphere, he assured that "for me it is more important that my children say that I have kept my word than to have a seat in the president's box".

Sergi Bruguera, the Roland Garros champion, was the most well-known face of the future candidacy of Jordi Majó.

Sergi, who is crazy of Barça, and of football, was tired of seeing things that could be improved at his beloved club and not being able to do something about it. Now he will get involved with body and soul.

Read more:
Majo considering to participate in the elections
Lillo looking back at 2003 election campaign
Majo stepping out of Minguella-Medina project

Ferrer: "The easy thing would have been to leave"

Barcelona presidential candidate Jaume Ferrer gave an interview to Catalan local radio station Radio Cabrera and Catalan online sports paper Yoya.


What makes you want to be the president of FC Barcelona?
It is a combination of passion and common sense. I go to watch the games since I was a kid, I never imagined I would be part of the board of Barça and now that the president cannot be re-elected I think I have the experience needed. I know the club, I know how to do it and that my passion for Barça together with my common sense can help the club to be better managed.

You say you will continue with the same project but change the style. Can you explain what you mean when you refer to "changing the style"?
It's very easy. We are starting an era in which the president and the directors should not be the main actors. The main actors should be the players, the coaches and the titles. The board has to make decisions but they should act discretely, the players and the coaches should be in the media spotlights.

Over the years, the club members and the fans have been able to read reports about the president and the board of directors wasting money by spending it on unnecessary things or for personal use, like private jets and so on. How have you experienced all that from the inside?
It's not like that at all. On the contrary. Since 2003, that is when we took office, we have started working on multiplying the revenues. This year, we will have a turn-over of 400 millions. From 2003 until the end of 2007, I have myself been the treasurer of the club and I can tell you that as far as the expenses are concerned, we have acted in a very strict way.

Let's talk about a concrete name: Mister Joan Oliver. If you win, will you count on him?
I don't think that anyone is indispensable. Everyone knows what happened with private investigations and the lack of confidence is perhaps a problem. The president of Barça should have full confidence in his chief executive. But in any case these decisions will be made later on.

The members of Barça are fed up with the slander and the campaigns coming from the press of Madrid. There is something that can be done against it? If you will be president, will you try to stop all this?
For those who are annoyed by this, the solution should be not to read the press that says these things, but all this is a consequence of the fact our team is playing in a spectacular way and has been the first team in history to win six titles in one year. This is very frustrating for the big rival and their supporters. We don't have to worry, I want our team to continue to perform well, to win games and titles, and we should ignore the rest.

One has the impression that you have had to resist and to deal with a lot of injustices in the board. Mister Benedito saw something he did not like and he left, while you are still holding on. What is more honourable in this case: to resist or to leave?
All these are personal decisions that everyone has to make for himself. I can explain you what I think. I prefer to be in the club, because of the responsibility that was given to me by the members and the fans, to have an influence on the decisions that are taken in the board and to make sure they are the best ones for the club. And this does not mean that I will resign if a decision is adopted that I don't like. Inside the board we don't all think alike and there is a debate. The easy thing for me to do in recent years would have been to leave and I would certainly have got a lot more support from everyone. But what interests me is to protect the club, to manage the club and to influence as much as possible all those decisions that I think are crucial for the club, and this is what I will do until the end.

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

Read more:
Ferrer: "The president should give the example"
Who are the people behind Jaume Ferrer?
Ferrer doesn't want Laporta to campaign

interview: uri bruguera

MotoGP businessman possible vice-president Rosell

Catalan sports paper El 9 Esportiu claims that Catalan businessman Manel Arroyo could become the economic vice-president of FC Barcelona if presidential candidate Sandro Rosell is elected in the upcoming elections.

Last month, it was said that former Barcelona director Xavier Faus was the main candidate of the Rosell candidacy to become economic vice-president (read more here).

Manel Arroyo is the 49-year old managing director of Dorna Sports, an international sports management and marketing company, that is among other things the exclusive holder of all commercial and television rights of the MotoGP World Championship since 1992.

Read more:
Businesswoman Susana Monje will be treasurer Rosell
The three areas and vice-presidents of Rosell
MotoGP businessman part of board team Rosell

The Pundit: Joan Vehils on electoral break

« The Easter break has caused the candidates for the presidency of Barça to take some time off. It would be nice if they could extend this break a little more and give us the chance to only focus on football during this very important week. »

Joan Vehils,
Sport

check more pundit talk

Poll result: Laporta was right to appoint Cruyff?

Do you approve that Laporta has nominated Cruyff as honorary president of FC Barcelona?

Yes 27%
No 71%
Don't know 2%

total votes: 9239
start date poll: 26 march 2010
poll method: internet, free participation
source: la vanguardia

check more election poll results here

The Catalan Cave: Albert Lesan (Canal Catala)

in this section, we ask catalan and spanish sports journalists five questions about the elections for president of fc barcelona. today: albert lesan from catalan local television station canal català.


1. Jaume Ferrer has the qualities needed to be president of Barça?
Yes he has, although I want to see how he will manage the support or the poisoned gift that he received from Laporta.

2. You have publicly given your support to Sandro Rosell? Why?
I think it's the best thing that can happen to Barça. He is a great person and he wants to serve Barça and not serve himself. I know him for a while now and I like his club model and his way of being. We will very soon have a gentleman as president.

3. Joan Laporta would be re-elected if he could again take part in the elections?
Definitely not. It was already clear at the time of the motion of no confidence that people reject him. What is not very clear to me is if he will one day again preside the club.

4. Your talkshow has set up the Facebook group in support of the candidacy of Carles Rexach. What will happen now that the required number of 5.000 members has been achieved? Rexach will really take part? And if so, will he do that alone or will he have no other option than to look for an alliance with another candidate?
We are all waiting for the decision of Charlie. I know he is taking his possible candidacy very seriously, but I don't know if he in the end will dare to do it.

5. The decision to organize the elections on 13 June was right?
Horrible. Elections should be on a match day. Laporta's fear of losing control makes him commit this kind of blunders. I wonder what Laporta is afraid of? I hope that the veils will be lifted when the new president takes office. And if there is nothing wrong, they should say that everything is fine; but if there are punishable offenses, this should be reported.

THE EXTRAS If you were a club member of Barça, who would you vote for or certainly not vote for?
I'm not a member but for many years I went to the Camp Nou and paid for a family season-ticket. If I was, I would vote for Rosell.

All your possessions are at stake. Give the top-3 of the elections on 13 June.
Rosell, Benedito, Ferrer.

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) - cristian pulina (eurosport) - joan domènech(el periódico) - sergi mas(com ràdio)

Cartoon 33: Rosell ready to solve Cesc's problem

Cesc:
It's very frustrating not to be able to make my debut at the Camp Nou, I would like to find a solution for that.

Rosell:
Well, I have 56 million solutions.


(click the cartoon to enlarge)


by caye

source:
sport

check more election cartoons here

Possible candidate Llaurado buys football club

Former Barcelona vice-president and possible presidential candidate Jaume Llauradó has recently bought Spanish fourth division club Badajoz.

Badajoz is a city in the autonomous community of Extramadura, in western Spain, that borders with Portugal.

Together with Mauro Gianetti, a Swiss former professional cyclist, Llauradó acquired a few months ago around 60 per cent of the shares of the club and the 65-year old Catalan businessman was in January appointed as board member of the club.

Jaume Llauradó was a pre-candidate in the elections of 1997 and 2000, when he ended up joining the candidacy of the later president Joan Gaspart, in whose board Llauradó was a vice-president from 2000 until he resigned after one year because he didn't agree with the way the club was governed.

In 2003, he was a presidential candidate but finished 6th and last in the elections won by Joan Laporta. He obtained 987 votes (1,91%), which was considerably lower than the number of signatures he had been able to collect. Llauradó is also the president of FC Barcelona think tank Fòrum Samitier.

Read more:
Llaurado close to renouncing his candidacy
Will Llaurado run for the fourth time?
Llaurado confirms that he will run

sources: hoy, el periódico de extremadura

The Pundit: Alex Santos on re-election Laporta

« If Laporta could be re-elected, I think there would be no chance to take the presidency away from him, just like when Josep Lluís Núñez ran for a new term. »

Alex Santos,
El 9 Esportiu

check more pundit talk

Benedito: "The signatures won't be a problem"

Barcelona presidential candidate Agustí Benedito gave an interview to Catalan local radio station Radio Cabrera and Catalan online sports paper Yoya.



It is true that you're against the sale of assets and specifically against the sale of the Miniestadi?
The truth is that I'm concerned about some decisions that the board has lately taken regarding the sale of assets because this that our assets' solvency ratio has become worse. Three times they have sold parts of our assets. I'm not in favour of this, it should only happen when we're facing a very difficult situation and I think that is not the case now. I'm heavily opposed and I think that the other candidates have a different idea.

But do you think a reform of the Camp Nou is necessary?
The Camp Nou is 53 years old and needs a reform regarding accesses, comfort, new technologies and we will do it during the next mandate. Another, very different thing is having reform of a football pitch that can be seen from the moon.

A theme that regularly comes back in these elections, is the relationschip Barça-politics. What is your opinion?
The Catalan character of Barcelona is part of its essence. Whoever wants to reduce this Catalan character, no matter who it is, will fail. But the president should not do politics and this has been one of the big mistakes of Laporta. One thing is to help Catalonia club through the club and another thing is to use it in a party-politcal way. And besides that, Laporta is doing it for his personal benefit, betraying the spirit and the pact he had with the club members in 2003.

Having been, back in the days, so close and loyal to Laporta, how is it possible that you never were part of the board of directors? You rejected or it was never offered to you?
Honestly, since Laporta was elected as president Laporta he never talked with me about the possibility of joining the board. Other directors did tell me that they wanted me to become part of the board but Laporta never proposed it to me, so I didn't have the choice to say yes or no. Likewise, this fact did not stop me from working for Barça with all I had until the last day.

Could it be that your biggest signing is not a player? I'm talking about your campaign director, Mr. Xavier Roig...
Yeah, right, he is a great professional and I am very happy with the collaboration agreement we have signed. He has a great cv, also in the Barça elections, since he was Laporta's campaign director in 2003. He will not be the only signing of this nature, I will bit by bit release names that people will certainly like a lot.

Let's try, can you already give us a name?
The campaign hasn't started yet... It's precisely Xavier Roig who has advised me that these names should be brought to the public gradually.

How are you planning the collection of the signatures, are you optimistic?
What we have is like a "movement", today we don't get the same attention in the mainstream media as other candidates, but we are with many people, many people are working on this, many club members have contacted us to help us. There will be more than 1, 2 or 3 candidates that will have more difficulties than us to pass the cut of the signatures. We will go over it and it won't be a problem for us, we will have other problems but not this one.

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

Read more:
Benedito wants to be the third way
Logo and first campaign slogan Benedito revealed
Benedito: "Stadium shouldn't be visible from the moon"

interview: uri bruguera

Most read of the week

these were the three most read blog posts of the past week:


1.
Ferrer and Benedito to form one candidacy

2.
Rosell preparing election stunt

3.
Rosell wanted commission fee for sale Ronaldinho

Rosell preparing bid for Cesc

British tabloid The Daily Mail claims that Barcelona presidential candidate and former Barcelona sports vice-president Sandro Rosell is preparing a bid of 56 million euros to sign Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fàbregas in the summer.

Rosell would always have maintained excellent relations with Cesc, whose contract with the English Premier League club expires in 2014, as well as with his family, and securing the transfer of the former Barcelona youth player would strengthen his bid for the presidency.

Read more:
Ribery rejects approach Rosell
Laporta and Rosell contacted Cesc
Torres confirms good relationship with Rosell

Ferrer doesn't want Laporta to campaign

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that, after Barcelona president Joan Laporta gave his support to Barcelona assets vice-president and presidential candidate Jaume Ferrer last month (read more here), Ferrer has now asked Laporta not to campaign for him in the coming months.

Both Ferrer and members of the candidacy of the vice-president would have asked Laporta during private talks that he wouldn't make any more statements in favour of Ferrer that could lead people to think that the president is directly taking part in the campaign ahead of the elections in June.

Read more:
Ferrer: "I want to work with more discretion"
Laporta confirms board support for Ferrer
Ferrer won't accept conditions Laporta

The Pundit: Enric Baneres on election role Laporta

« The interventionism of Laporta in the appointment of his successor, in the setting up of a continuity candidacy, starts to produce episodes of absurdity and is close to shameless, in addition to highlighting at the most inopportune time another shortcoming of the still president: that his ability to divide is far bigger than his ability to unite. »

Enric Bañeres,
La Vanguardia

check more pundit talk

Minguella-Medina project has found candidate

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that the candidacy that is being set up by former Barcelona candidates Josep Maria Minguella [picture] and Jordi Medina will now definitely take part in the elections for president of FC Barcelona later this year.

The candidacy, that earlier contacted journalist Xavier Bosch (read more here) and lawyer Pau Molins (read more here), would now finally have found the person that will head the list. The presidential candidate would in the end be a 40-year old resident of Barcelona.

Minguella and Medina will reportedly officially present their project and the candidate the week after the Real Madrid-Barcelona game on Saturday 10 April. The main ideas of the candidacy will be explained as well as the intention that they won't attack anybody during the campaign.

Josep Maria Minguella, a 68-year old former player's agent who now mainly acts as a Barcelona pundit for a number of radio and television shows, took part in the 2003 elections, when he ended fifth with 1.867 votes (3,62%). The Catalan supported the 2008 vote of no confidence against the board.

Jordi Medina is a 45-year old Catalan lawyer who was a pre-candidate in the 2003 and 2006 elections but failed twice to collect enough signatures of club members to take part in the final vote. Medina is the chairman of 'Un Crit Valent', an FC Barcelona platform.

Read more:
Minguella project preparing primaries
Majo stepping out of Minguella-Medina project
Minguella-Medina project still looking for a leader

What are the functions of the treasurer?

Article 30, paragraph 2, of the statutes of FC Barcelona says that the club should appoint a treasurer among the board members: "The positions that make up the Board will be, at least and necessarily, those of [...] Treasurer [...]."

Article 30.5 of the club's statutes, entitled 'Functions of the Treasurer', enumerates the tasks of the treasurer of FC Barcelona and reads as follows:

"a) To be responsible for the financial and economic area of the Club and its acts of transfer, to present to the Board of Directors proposals for agreements to be adopted regarding these issues and tp authorise payments by his signature.

b) To take the responsibility for all the Club's accounting books and documents.

c) To monitor the annual budget, providing monthly reports to the Board of Directors and making the appropriate proposals when deviations occur.

d) To prepare the reports for the closing of the financial year and the budget that the Board of Directors must annually submit to the General Assembly, to propose the undertaking of the audits stipulated by the Statutes and to sign, with approval of the President, the final documents regarding these issues that are approved by the Board.

e) To control the movements of funds of the Club and the state of the deposits, and to adapt them to what is noted in the accounting books.

f ) To provide receipts of the fees and other payments made by Club members.

g) All others that are stipulated by these Statutes."

The treasurer is not mentioned further in the statutes, apart from the reference in the first paragraph of article 34, saying that the treasurer should necessarily be part of the club's Delegate Commission, which is a kind of core board (read more here).

Read more:
What are the functions of the president?
Godall and Ferrer no longer part of 'core board'
What is the role of a vice-president?

Ferrer: "The president should give the example"

Barcelona assets vice-president and presidential candidate Jaume Ferrer gave an interview to Catalan online paper El Singular Digital.


Some of the directors who left during the Laporta era have accused the president of distancing himself from the initial project. You share this vision?
The project for Barça has been functioning very well. We have maintained the sports and economic model to great success during those years. But there have been changes in the style and the actions of president Laporta. He has done many positive things, but he has done some things very badly. The latter, though they were few, are the ones who have sticked. I think the next president of Barça should try to not act in an unfortunate way.

But this is a position that carries responsibility and stress. Is it possible not to make any slip?
Yes, and the president should be the first to give the example. We need to find the best relations possible with all types of institutions, with other clubs, as well as a very direct contact with the partner.

You dare to give president Laporta a note?
I'm not good at giving notes but I can say that he will be remembered as one of the greatest presidents of Barça.

Laporta has launced his website and has brought his political career a little closer...
Everyone is responsible for his own decisions. I respect everyone's actions and it is he who must assess when and how he plans his political future. If I was in his situation, I would wait until I'm not the president of Barça anymore.

But you have been one of the most important people in the board. You have never suggested him to leave his political career until after the upcoming elections?
That is irrelevant. He has felt that he should do it the way he has done it. At some occasions, he has done it perfectly, he has defended the values of Barça. Now, however, he is using the club as a tool to enter in politics.

Let's talk about football. There are already people who try to question the team of Guardiola. And every project has to renew itself. This Barça can be improved somehow?
This is the best team in the world, a group made by the technical staff. And it's very clear to us that we will continue to give all our confidence to both the sports director and the coach. It must be them who lead the renewal of this team.

The coach and the sports director will be two of the pillars on which you will base your presidency in case you are elected?
Yes, and besides that, we will keep on investing in the youth academy without sacrificing our spectacular and competitive way of playing. We will have an economic model that keeps going for more internationalization. And as far as specific proposals are concerned, we want to build a new Palau Blaugrana, to reform the Nou Camp and to redevelop the Miniestadi.

The last question, a more personal one. What kind of relationship do you today have with Laporta?
My relationship with Laporta was much closer in 2003 than it is now. I do not know who or what is to blame, but today I feel further away from his way of doing things.

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

Read more:
Ferrer won't accept conditions Laporta
Laporta confirms board support for Ferrer
Ferrer: "We should study shirt sponsorship"

interview: xavier march

Benedito decorates headquarters with logo

The logo of Barcelona presidential candidate Agustí Benedito is since this week visible at his headquarters in the centre of Barcelona.

(more pictures)

The Pundit: Dagoberto Escorcia on election face-offs

« If we could choose a showdown for the presidency of Barcelona, the most attractive one would have been that of Joan Laporta against Sandro Rosell. Given the fact that the current president could not take part, the second major electoral battle would have been that of Sandro Rosell against Ferran Soriano. To our misfortune, none of these face-offs will take place. They were interesting encounters, with enough incentives, full of intrigues and personal grudges. But it won't happen. »

Dagoberto Escorcia,
La Vanguardia

check more pundit talk

Weekly Round-Up (17): Man of the hour

Every week an overview of the posts from this blog, written by Xaviniesta, is published on Barcelona news site totalBarca.


Barcelona assets vice-president Jaume Ferrer is the new board continuity candidate, replacing vice-president Alfons Godall, whose candidacy was initially supported and endorsed by Barcelona president Joan Laporta.

In what appears to be the latest fallout from last week’s events, Godall has announced that he is withdrawing as a candidate in the Barcelona presidential elections. Godall,who earlier claimed he would continue with his candidacy, said in his formal statement of withdrawal that the many challenges facing the club needed “new people and new ideas”: “I’ve always been in favour of joining forces and overcome old disputes, because projects are more important than people, and above all that is our beloved FC Barcelona.”

His statements would have been made in obvious reference to the board’s objection to a unity pact with the group of former Barcelona economic vice-president Ferran Soriano with whom Godall has reportedly held talks in an attempt to put together a unified candidacy.

>>> read the complete weekly round-up here

Rosell wanted commission fee for sale Ronaldinho

In his book "Un somni per als meus fills" (A dream for my sons), that was published this week, Barcelona president Joan Laporta explains how presidential candidate Sandro Rosell - then sports vice-president - tried to convince him in the spring of 2004 to sell Barcelona player Ronaldinho:

"On 25 April 2004, the day we played against Madrid at the Bernabéu, he told me that Chelsea offered 100 millions for Ronaldinho. I told him to put it out of his head, that Ronnie was not for sale, that I didn't want to talk about the issue anymore, but he added: 'Jan, they give us a commission fee of 10%'.

A few weeks later, in May, Sandro mentioned the offer of Chelsea again. He insisted and said we could close it right there if me and him reached an agreement. I again reminded him that I didn't want to talk about it and that Ronaldinho wouldn't move from Barça.

Then he brought it up another time that if we accepted, they would give us 10 million euros which we could share between us. That attitude profoundly disappointed me."

Rosell yesterday made an official statement denying the story and saying that he could take the matter to court: "The report of the events in the book constitutes, because of its complete and absolute falseness, a serious attack on my honour and that is why I keep the option open to take the appropriate legal actions.

However, because of the respect I have for the presidency of FC Barcelona and since the defense of my honour is secondary to the interests of the club, I would only start those mentioned legal proceedings once the sports season and the electoral process have come to an end."

Read more:
Laporta wanted to replace Rosell by Cruyff
Rosell writing second book
Soriano scoring in Japan with management book

Who are the people behind Jaume Ferrer?

On his profile page on social networking site Facebook, Barcelona first vice-president Alfons Godall has explained why he doesn't understand the support of Barcelona president Joan Laporta for assets vice-president and presidential candidate Jaume Ferrer:

"Ferrer is driven by three engines. The entourage of the sons of former Catalan president Pujol [note: jordi puyol - picture - was the president of the catalan government from 1980 until 2003], the former director and former brother-in-law of the president [note: alejandro echevarría, click the "echevarria" tag below to know more] and the current board members who couldn't accept being left aside by my candidacy. The first two engines are clearly anti-laporta, respectively for political and personal reasons."

Read more:
Ferrer denies support former brother-in-law Laporta
Barcagate: The Ferrer report
Godall doesn't believe in Ferrer-Rosell duel

Benedito: "Guardiola will stay for many more years"

Barcelona presidential candidate Agustí Benedito gave an interview to Catalan local radio station Radio Cabrera and Catalan online sports paper Yoya.


Your project wants to continue with the current model or break with it?
The project of 2003, if updated and renewed, is still very valid and I think that the majority of the club members agree with this. It's about making sure that the rest of the club is on par with the sporting results of the football team, which isn't the case at this moment. After a lot of years inside and outside the club, you end up having your own ideas about how you would like Barça to be, and you see that this is shared by many people. Because of all this and after it has become clear that the continuity project as well as the project of Rosell are different from our vision on the club, we decided to create this alternative.

Will you change something about the sports structure?
We have our own ideas, that include some modifications, but the final proposal should be agreed upon by Guardiola. But the sports area is surely the one we will touch least. In other areas there have to be more serious changes.

If you're elected as president, will you stop the co-operation with Guardiola if he would demand things that are not compatible with your ideas?
It is impossible that this would happen. I am convinced that Guardiola will not raise demands that go against the general interest of the club. We are anxious to talk with Guardiola so we can explain him our plan. I'm sure that we will find an agreement and that he will be with us for many more years.

Will you arrive at the final vote alone, that is without making a pact with anyone?
Of course. We had a hard time making the decision to start with a candidacy, it takes a lot effort, and not just financially. A pact is not a possibility for us because we are distanced from the other projects and I see no way we could fit together.

Why have you said in some media that you think the continuism has no chance to win?
After having spoken in person with over 1.400 club members, a number that allows you to have an idea of the state of mind of the fans, I have seen a large rejection of the continuism.

What will be the importance of the fan clubs in your project?
The fan clubs are the representatives of Barça in their region. They have presented us their "project for the 21st century", it is very interesting and it can be improved at some points.

Will you continue with UNICEF on the shirt or will you seek revenues through shirt sponsoring?
Barça is the most feared team on the pitch and we want it to be the most loved around the world. The collaboration with Unicef was a great decision but there is still a long way to go. We will maintain the collaboration and we will expand it. If we eventually would be forced to look for a sponsor, we are allowed to do this by the vote of the Assembly of 2003 or 2004, I do not remember it exactly, but I'm not at all in favour of seeking external sponsorship.

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

Read more:
Benedito wants to be the third way
Logo and first campaign slogan Benedito revealed
Benedito: "Stadium shouldn't be visible from the moon"

interview: uri bruguera

The Pundit: Antonio Franco on weak points Laporta

« As a leader, Laporta has shown two weak points: he hasn't been able to keep his board team united nor to organize his succession in a proper way. »

Antonio Franco,
El Periódico

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Poll result: Will Cruyff stay honorary president?

Do you think the new president will maintain Johan Cruyff as honorary president of Barça?

Yes 50%
No 50%

total votes: 3035
start date poll: 26 march 2010
poll method: internet, free participation
source: el mundo deportivo

check more election poll results here

Update on Ferrer-Benedito joint candidacy

I think it's time to tell you

that the reliable source inside the Benedito candidacy

who told this blog everything (but really everything...) about

the joint candidacy of Barcelona presidential candidates Jaume Ferrer and Agustí Benedito

was in fact...

this guy:

Businesswoman Susana Monje will be treasurer Rosell

Jordi Cardoner, member of the board team of Barcelona presidential candidate Sandro Rosell, has confirmed on his blog that Spanish businesswoman Susana Monje [picture, sitting on the right], who last month assisted a meeting the former sports-vice president had with Barcelona supporters, will become the club's treasurer if Rosell is elected as president in June (read more here).

Susana Monje is the 37-year old chief executive of the Essentium Group, a holding that includes companies that are active in several sectors, among which raw construction materials, renewable energy and real estate development. The group also sponsors Spanish third division club Toledo.

Read more:
Businesswoman could become treasurer Rosell
The three areas and vice-presidents of Rosell
Team member Rosell talking about their project

Ferrer and Benedito to form one candidacy

This blog can reveal that Barcelona presidential candidates Jaume Ferrer and Agustí Benedito have last weekend reached a principal agreement to join their candidacies ahead of the elections in June. The news was confirmed to us by a reliable source inside the Benedito candidacy.

The two candidates would have started talking after polls of the Ferrer candidacy showed that a Ferrer-Benedito project would clearly defeat the current favourite in the elections, former Barcelona sports vice-president Sandro Rosell, if there wasn't a third serious candidacy showing up.

Benedito and Ferrer know each other from the time Benedito was a member of the club's sports and social commissions. At a certain moment, Ferrer was the director responsible for the non-football sections of the club while Benedito was involved with the basketball team. Since then, the two have a close relationship.

After the basic deal on a co-operation, Ferrer and Benedito will now have to finalize a joint program and find an agreement on who will be part of the board. The joint candidacy will clearly distance themselves from Barcelona president Joan Laporta, which would include the dismissal of current Barcelona chief executive Joan Oliver. The positon of sports director Txiki Begiristain would still be under discussion.

Ferrer would lead the project and would be the candidate to become president. His right-hand man, current Barcelona director Jordi Torrent, would be first vice-president, while Benedito would be second vice-president and have a lot of freedom to implement his ideas on the social area of the club.

Benedito would have asked to insert a clause in the deal that Ferrer wouldn't stand for re-election if the candidacy wins in June, which would allow Benedito to run himself for president in 2016. Although there's not yet an agreement on the issue, Ferrer doesn't exclude the option, since he would at that time have been a member of the board for thirteen years, since 2003.

If everything goes as planned, Ferrer and Benedito could call a press conference in the second week of April. If the negotiations between the two parties would take longer, a public announcement could be postponed until the end of April of the beginning of May and depend on the performances of the team.

Read more:
Ferrer won't accept conditions Laporta
Benedito wants to be the third way
Director Torrent will be right-hand man Ferrer

The Pundit: Xavier Bosch on support Laporta for Ferrer

« As the candidate of the laportism, Ferrer should now be very careful. The hugs of the bear can give more shelter than anything else, but sometimes they leave you without the air that is necessary to breathe. »

Xavier Bosch,
El Periódico

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