[2003] Bassat wants Xabi Alonso and Joaquin

source: el mundo deportivo, wednesday 23 april 2003, page 59

Joaquín and Xabi Alonso in the agenda of Bassat

Cadena COPE unveiled the plans of the future presidential candidate

Lluís Bassat, one of the people who has already announced that he will take part in the elections at FC Barcelona, wants to do that with two aces up his sleeve to attract the votes when the elections are called: the right winger of Betis and the Spanish national team Joaquín, and the midfielder and the motor of the splendid season of Real Sociedad Xabi Alonso, as was explained yesterday afternoon in the 'Tiempo de juego' program of Cadena COPE.

According to this report, Bassat has planned a meeting with the representatives of both players for next weekend to discuss the contract situation of the players and, if possible, to reach a pre-agreement to enable him to present them as transfers in his election program.

There has already been talk about the interest of Barça in Xabi Alonso on several occasions, given the fact that it's a player whose style is liked a lot in Barcelona, but no potential candidate had yet put him on his list.

On the other hand, that the name of Joaquín is mentioned is more surprising because, while it is true that Barça could use a player with his qualities in that position, the club that has been linked the most with signing him was Real Madrid.

check more 2003 election stories

The Quote: Sandro Rosell

"We will use the new technologies to make the club more transparent."


Sandro Rosell,
Barcelona presidential candidate

read more election quotes here

Weekly Round-Up (19): Casting shadows

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


As reported by the blog last week, presidential candidate Sandro Rosell is currently fighting claims he had maneuvered the sale of former Barcelona midfielder Ronaldinho to English club Chelsea in 2004, a deal reportedly worth 100 million euro to the Catalan club and a 10% commission to himself.

Presidential candidate Jaume Guixa is now asking Rosell and Barcelona president Joan Laporta, who made the allegations in his book “Un somni per als meus fills” ( A dream for my sons), to clarify their involvement in the aborted sale, claiming that “no candidate for the presidency should enter the electoral race with doubts on his reputation”.

It is speculated that Laporta’s revelations in his book could only be the tip of the iceberg and that reportedly, a “bomb” is being prepared by Rosell’s opponents that could force the poll front runner to withdraw his campaign for the presidency.

>>> read the complete weekly round-up here

Guixa not considering pact with other candidacies

Asked if he would join another candidacy if he would get an offer, Barcelona presidential candidate Jaume Guixà has repeated in an interview with Catalan local television station Teletaxi TV that he doesn't plan to accept a proposal like that:

"We have made this clear from the beginning. We are a clear alternative for the laportism and that is our seal of guarantee. We have a project for a different Barça that brings the club closer to the member who should in a way be involved in the decisions. We open our arms to anyone who wants to join our candidacy but always with the condition that the candidacy is led by Jaume Guixà."

Read more:
Guixa wants crèche at Camp Nou
Rosell most popular candidate on Facebook
Guixa wants representative fan clubs in board

Former politician Molins to take part in elections

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Catalan businessman and former politician Joaquim Molins could take part in the elections.

It would not be clear if Molins will participate in the campaign as candidate for president of FC Barcelona or as member of a new project.

Joaquim Molins, a former member of the Spanish and Catalan parliament and a Catalan minister from 1986 to 1993 for the Catalan nationalist centre-right party CiU, is currently executive director of Spanish telecommunications and internet services provider Jazztel and member of the board of cement and concrete manufacturer Cementos Molins.

The 64-year old Catalan, who retired from politics in 2001, is also the older brother of lawyer Pau Molins, who rejected an offer to lead the project set up by former Barcelona presidential candidates Josep Maria Minguella and Jordi Medina, although he could still support the mentioned candidacy (read more here).

Read more:
Businessman linked with Nunez to run for president
Molins rejects offer to lead Minguella-Medina project
New candidates getting ready to appear on stage

Benedito: "I will win the elections"

Barcelona presidential candidate Agustí Benedito gave an interview to Spanish football site Madrid-Barcelona.


Laporta recently presented his book, in which he reports on something very serious, namely that mister Rosell told him, when Ronaldinho wasn't yet at Barça for one year, to sell the player to Chelsea for 100 million euros and that they were offered a 10% commission, this was 5 million for both of the them. Mister Laporta explains that, shocked by what Rosell proposed to him, he never reported it. Do you believe this?
What I believe is that we are dealing with an extremely serious event. We are talking about a president of Barça accusing a vice-president of having offered him a deal of around 1.700 million pesetas. I haven't been in a situation where a vice-president of mine could offer me something like that, but if he would do it I can assure you that he wouldn't stay in office for 24 hours. Therefore, the comments that I make are the following ones. First, why does Laporta maintains mister Rosell as vice-president? Second, why doesn't he inform the rest of the board of what happened? And third, why does he wait six years to make this public when this is a very serious matter? I also want to say another thing. I am very eager to hear the explanations of mister Rosell. Barcelona fans have a big problem at this moment. People do not know who to believe. All I can say is that if the allegations of mister Laporta are true I have only one wish: that a person like this will never be president of Barça.

Couldn't it be that mister Laporta is the one who is lying to torpedo his worst enemy and to help the continuity candidacy?
In Barcelona, where in recent days there has been a lot of discussion about this, it was told to me that the version of Rosell is just the opposite, namely that it was Laporta who made the proposal. If true, it would be equally bad that Rosell didn't denounce him. As a candidate, I am at this moment also very interested in the opinion of mister Jaume Ferrer, treasurer of the Barça board at the time and who I haven't yet heard. I wonder if he believes that Laporta's statements are true or if he thinks that Laporta is lying. It is very important for the club of today and the future that this issue would be resolved.

The media don't have a lot of attention for you. Wouldn't it be ideal for you to have a debate between mister Ferrer, mister Rosell and yourself or do you think they would never accept it?
I hope the club members will have the opportunity to live a debate between those who aspire to be president. I hope that the democratic spirit and the interest of communication will prevail over other types of more specific interests. I have the hope that the day will come when there will be a debate.

Do you think that the mainstream media, or some of them, are at the service of certain candidates?
I think it is clear that the two major media groups in Barcelona are positioned alongside one of the two main alternatives. Some defend the candidacy of Rosell and others defend the continuity candidacy. I don't think that I'm saying anything that is not a reality.

Image that one of the major media concerns is positioned at the side of Rosell and the other at your side. Would you win the elections?
I believe that, against all odds, we will win the elections. I think it will be important to discuss and to publicly compare our programs, maybe through some debates. It's true that the media are supporting other alternatives, but they have a problem: the media don't vote. Thank god, when there are elections, the one who votes is the club member, who is also the owner of Barça, and he has the last word. That will cause a surprise on 13 June.

Which percentage of the voters are according to you still undecided about whom to vote for?
We have some polls that tell us that 80% of the voters are not convinced of whom to vote for. Therefore, we consider these elections to be totally open. I think the vote will be decided in the last days of the campaign, as is usually the case. We think around 70.000 people could come out to vote on 13 June and therefore they will be open elections. In any case, I can confirm that we will far exceed the number of signatures needed. We are getting a lot of support, I would even say that the support is multiplying, and I can assure you that with absolute certainty we will be one of the maybe three people eligible to the office.

Finally, tell us what that third way of Agustí Benedito is.
Despite the interests there can be to make this a two-men race, we are absolutely confident that the elections are open, that the day will come when we will have the opportunity to talk about our project and to defend it against that of the other two. That will be the time when the member will finally have the opportunity to evaluate them and make his choice.

this was the third and last part of this interview.

Read the previous parts:
Benedito: "I do not feel bitter"
Benedito: "We're not choosing a sports director"

The Quote: Daniel Sanchez Llibre

"I hope that we will be able to normalize the relations with Barca's new president. If that will be Sandro Rosell, that will surely be the case. And if the members of Barça choose someone else, I hope so too."


Daniel Sánchez Llibre,
Espanyol president

read more election quotes here

Rexach will join the candidacy of Rosell

Catalan sports weekly paper Gol claims that former Barcelona player and coach Carles Rexach will join the candidacy of Barcelona presidential candidate Sandro Rosell.

After a first contact and a principal agreement, the final co-operation would be established during an upcoming new meeting between Rexach and Rosell, although it's not clear when the news will be made public.

Rexach would be part of the sports area of the club, although there is still uncertainty about the concrete position the former player, assistant coach, coach and sports director would occupy. He would become sports director [currently txiki begiristain], youth director [currently alexanko] or director of football [currently raul sanllehí].

The 63-year old Catalan, who has mainly been working as a football pundit since he left the club in 2003, was a Barcelona player from 1967 to 1981, coached the team on three occasions as caretaker and was the manager of the team during the 2001-2002 season.

Read more:
Rexach still thinking about running for president
The three areas and vice-presidents of Rosell
Rexach could join Minguella-Medina candidacy

Former vice-president Vicens will not take part

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that former Barcelona first vice-president Albert Vicens, who resigned as board member after the vote of no confidence in July 2008, would not take part in the elections.

Despite the fact that former marketing and sports vice-president Marc Ingla, who is likely to run for president in the upcoming elections (read more here), reportedly wants to include Vicens in his board team, the ex-director would have decided not to get involved.

Read more:
Ingla preparing his election campaign
The Board Movements (2003-2009)
Ingla has decided to run for president

Villa to be presented before the elections

Catalan sports weekly paper Gol claims that Barcelona and Valencia have reached a principal agreement on the transfer of Valencia forward David Villa (28) after a formal meeting between Barcelona chief executive Joan Oliver and Valencia representatives in Valencia last week.

Apart from the determination of the final transfer price, the deal between the two clubs would be complete. The rumoured fee would be around 30 million euros but Valencia would want to include some Barcelona players in the deal because cash money would go directly to the bank that has refinanced the club's debts.

Pressured by their creditors, among which Spanish bank Bancaja is the most important one, Valencia would be forced to sell players for between 40 and 60 million euros this summer and reduce the cost of the players' salaries from 90 to 60 millions.

The plan is reportedly that the deal could be closed soon after the end of the league season and that Villa would be presented as new player of Barcelona before the presidential elections in 13 June and before Villa, who was already a transfer target of Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola during the past two transfer summers, travels to South Africa for the World Cup.

Read more:
Laporta blocks transfer plans Rosell
Rooney could become electoral transfer target
Rosell preparing bid for Cesc

Rosell taking part in city run

Barcelona presidential candidate Sandro Rosell yesterday took part in the Bombers city run (10 km) in Barcelona.

The Quote: Agusti Benedito

"If I'm elected as president, I will cut the number of club members. There shouldn't be many more members than there are season-ticket holders."


Agustí Benedito,
Barcelona presidential candidate

read more election quotes here

The Pundit: Lluis Simon on board of 2003

« With the pre-election marathon still going on I've remembered the first phrase that I heard Joaquim Maria Puyal [catalan journalist] say when asked in 2003 what he thought of Laporta and the new board that had just been elected, with the shiny Sandro Rosell, Ferran Soriano, Alfons Godall and Marc Ingla up front. "You can see they are very intelligent and, above all, very, very clever." He stopped for a second to clarify the message: "Maybe even too clever." »

Lluís Simon,
El 9 Esportiu

check more pundit talk

New developments regarding Ronaldinho commission

Over the past week, there have been several new events regarding the story in a book written by Barcelona president Joan laporta that Barcelona presidential candidate Sandro Rosell, in 2004, when he was sports vice-president of the club, wanted to sell Ronaldinho to Chelsea and cash a commission fee (read more here).

Sunday
Speaking to Catalan radio station RAC 1, Laporta confirms the story: "I've only explained what I have lived. The reaction of Sandro Rosell has surprised me because I think it would have been a lot more honest to confirm what he has told me. He informed me that there was an offer from Chelsea of 100 millions and he indeed added that they were prepared to give a commission of 10 per cent.

He later told me about it a second time - as I explain in my book the first time was in Madrid, the second in Paris. I am sure because he spoke to me directly, there were no intermediaries. And now I have serious doubts about his intentions because it would have been normal that he would have confirmed the story saying that he had informed me but that he didn't want to do it.

But if he reacts like he is doing now, by lying, I start to think in another way than I did. I think that with this totally inappropriate way of reacting - and he knows that he is lying - I think one should start to think that he was not only mentioning the commission of 10 per cent to inform me.

It's true that from then on, our relationship wasn't the same anymore. I started to have serious doubts about his person and although he said 'I'm just telling you about it, nothing more' our relation deterioriated since that happened. It was in the spring of 2004 and you know what has happened afterwards.

Before he already wanted to throw out Rijkaard in December 2003. Then in June 2004, he wanted to throw out Rijkaard again, as well as Txiki. There were the transfers that summer, like that of Eto'o, when he had an irrational fear for Madrid because according to him mister Florentino Pérez would kill us or destroy us.

And then during the 2004-2005 season, he and four others directors were constantly going against all decisions taken by the board until they resigned just after winning the league and after a year of internal crisis due to their immature behaviour. They gave up and made clear that it would be the apocalypse from then on, but everyone can count the trophies we've won since then."

Monday
Laporta gives in a statement on his personal website a detailled report of how Rosell mentioned two times the commission fee offered by Chelsea, the first time in Madrid on 25 April, the second time the following month in Paris where Laporta and Rosell shortly met with Chelsea representatives in the Crillon hotel.

Laporta explains that at that time he thought that Rosell didn't want the sale to actually take place and that he was just informing him about the proposal, but that after Rosell's reaction now, it would look as if he did want to sell Ronaldinho and receive a commission fee:

"Now six years later, and having seen the reaction of mister Rosell, I feel that he certainly did want to close that deal. I say this because I don't understand that he has been denying what he told me back then, both in Madrid and Paris. I don't understand that he has issued a statement threatening with legal actions when the book makes it clear that he only informed me.

He knows perfectly well that what I have described above is true and has occurred. So why is he so nervous? Because mister Rosell lies? Today, after seeing his reaction, I am increasingly convinced that he didn't only want to inform me, but also wanted it to go through. If before I was angry about his attitude, today, as president of FC Barcelona, and as Barcelona fan, I am getting even more indignant because he dares to deny it."

Thursday
A story about the case published two weeks earlier by British tabloid The Sun shows up in the Catalan press. In the report, a Chelsea spokesman denies that the English Premier League club has offered a commission fee and is quoted as saying: "It's total nonsense. We never made such an offer."

Thursday-Friday
Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Chelsea wants Laporta to rectify what he has said in his book and has contacted Spanish law firm Garrigues. Laporta could next week be summoned through a letter to erase the references to the English club and their offer in the digital version of the book.

Other media have taken over the report. Catalan sports paper Sport claims that a notarial affidavit has been sent to Laporta asking to withdraw the book of the market. Spanish radio station Cadena Ser claims that Rosell could also summon Laporta to deny the story or even to withdraw the book.

Read more:
Guixa wants clarification on Ronaldinho commission
Benedito wants to be the third way
Rosell wanted commission fee for sale Ronaldinho

Ferrer: "Guardiola and Begiristian are untouchable"

Barcelona assets vice-president and presidential candidate Jaume Ferrer gave an interview to Catalan newspaper El Periódico.


All what has happened in the board is the main ballast of your candidacy?
I think it is the only ballast because, as for the rest, it has been proven that the club is working well with this sports and economic model we have developed and followed. Although they might be designed with good intentions, we do not know how things will go with alternative models. The only thing they can reproach us is what happened in the board. When in a group, people think and give their opinion there are debates, discussions and possible conflicts.

Godall has criticized you and announced a pact between you and Rosell because of political interests.
I do not know where he got the pact with Rosell, he must have been dreaming. It is impossible, because of the people in our teams and because both candidacies are already formed. If we wanted to make a pact, we would already have had time for it since 23 December.

Soriano could have a place in your candidacy?
I'm open for someone like Soriano to work together us. I have talked with him and he knows we would accept him. The doors are open for him, as for all those Barcelona fans who want to work for the good of the club. I want to end the divisions.

So Laporta is giving you the freedom to decide?
That should be very clear. The president does not want a puppet either. He knows that his term ends on 30 June and that the candidacy we announced on 23 December is led by me, and Laporta won't have anything to do nor will he intervene. I have been part of all the good and the bad things that happened over the past seven years. Of everything. Very good things have been done and that is our project for the future, but with the style of Jaume Ferrer.

Guardiola and Begiristian are untouchable?
For me, yes. We know that Txiki wants to quit but we will try to convince him to stay. With Guardiola we have spoken more than once, we are part of the same club, but you have to let him do his job now because he is focused on the competitions and on preparing the players.

The continuity of Guardiola seems to be guaranteed with this board while it could be put in question when someone else comes to power.
He already knows how we work, he feels comfortable and that is a guarantee for his continuity.

The issue of the delegate commission stays the same after having left upon a decision of Laporta?
The statutes say it should be formed by the president, a vice-president, the secretary and the treasurer. And that is the case for over a month now. I don't want to re-enter, I shouldn't have more rights than other candidates and know more about the day-to-day of the club.

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

Read more:
Ferrer invites Godall and Sala to join him
Cartoon: With dramatic affect
Ferrer: "I know how do this"

interview: david torras and joan domènech

Guixa and Benedito want members to ratify Cruyff

Barcelona presidential candidates Jaume Guixà and Agustí Benedito have last week stated that they want the club members of FC Barcelona to vote on the appointment of Johan Cruyff as president of honour of the club.

Guixà [on Facebook]:
"Johan Cruyff has been a very important person in the history of Barça, but now was not the time to make this decision. If our candidacy receives the support of the club members, we will ask the general assembly to ratify it. We do not like impositions, we want the active participation of club members and democracy at FC Barcelona!"

Benedito [during a meeting with Barcelona club members after already having suggested it earlier in an interview with Catalan local television station Teletaxi TV]:
"One of the first things I will do if I win, will be organizing a referendum so that the club members can decide whether or not they want Cruyff as president of honour. For me it is a decision that should be taken with consensus and not while thinking about the elections."

Read more:
Cruyff doesn't see link nomination-elections
Poll result: Will Cruyff stay honorary president?
Cruyff becomes honorary president

Most read of the week

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


1.
Laporta blocks transfer plans Rosell

2.
Poll Voting Intentions: Two Months Before

3.
Alexis Plaza presents his candidacy for president