The Quote: Ferran Adria

"When people in 50 years from now will talk about these eight years of Laporta, they will be seen as an almost unrepeatable period."


Ferran Adrià,
Catalan chef of the El Bulli restaurant

read more election quotes here

Laporta would have liked to run again

Asked about the upcoming elections for president of FC Barcelona, that will be held in the spring of next year, Barcelona president Joan Laporta, who cannot run a third time after two terms in office, has said in an interview with Catalan radio station RAC 1 that he would have preferred to take again part in the elections himself:

"Of course I would have been delighted to be able to run again because it will be a passionate campaign. I'm surprised that the polls are already indicating that much support for a continuity candidate who hasn't yet been chosen. At this moment there are only two and a half candidates, so it's normal that those who already said they will take part get the most votes.

There is no board candidate yet but I think he should have an own profile. It wouldn't be a good idea to appoint a heir. Alfons Godall? He has some extraordinary qualities, but there are others who are also capable of leading a new project and they could make a great team. Jaume Ferrer? I can't stop anybody from having hopes. I will not block anyone's wishes.

I will keep some distance during the process although it's clear that I want the one who defends the model that is working to win. I will give my opinion, based on my experience, because being the president of Barça isn't easy at all. With everything that is still in play, it's nevertheless too early and not very constructive to start debating publicly about something that is still far away.

It will be difficult to propose an alternative model and that's why I'm curious to hear about the options that our opponents will bring to the table to challenge the sporting, economic and social model that has allowed us to live the best years in the history of the club. I think the most important thing now is to give continuity to a model that is working, that is only halfway and that can give the club many more successes."

Read more:
Godall: "Being president would be a dream"
Poll Result: Third presidential term for Laporta?
Laporta: "We'll talk about our candidate in January"

Benedito to open campaign headquarters

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona presidential candidate Agustí Benedito, who will take part in next yearyear's elections, will open his campaign offices before the end of this month.

The headquarters of Benedito will be located at the heart of the city of Barcelona, on the first floor of the Plaça de Sant Jaume, 2 (at the centre right of the picture). The Sant Jaume square is the centre of political life in Barcelona, as you can find there the "Palau de la Generalitat", the seat of the Catalan government, and the "Casa de la Ciutat" (at the left of the picture), the city hall of Barcelona.

Read more:
Benedito denies talks with Mascherano
More about Benedito (four-parts series)
Benedito optimistic about passing signatures cut

Weekly Round-Up (2)

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


The most interesting news of the weeks was without any doubt that former Barcelona economic vice-president Ferran Soriano would have been meeting with Barcelona treasurer Xavier Sala i Martín in New York and with Barcelona first vice-president Alfons Godall in Barcelona. It's unclear what the outcome of the talks is but some think that our two crucial remaining questions (what will former Soriano do? and who will be the board candidate?) could get a joint answer.

Godall and Sala i Martín (cartoon) meanwhile continue to work on the candidacy that will be supported by current Barcelona president Joan Laporta. After it was last week rumoured that Barcelona director Magda Oranich could be promoted and become the first female vice-president in the history of the club, it has now been claimed that also Barcelona board secretary Josep Cubells could become a vice-president.

>>> read the complete weekly round-up here

The Quote: Agusti Montal

"A good president should know how to co-ordinate a board team, be a good manager and have played sports."

Agustí Montal,
former Barcelona president (1969-1977)

read more election quotes here

More about Guixa (3): Politics and Camp Nou

As this blog had revealed a few weeks earlier, Jauma Guixà, a 51-year old Catalan university professor, has announced that he will take part in next year's elections for president of FC Barcelona.

Guixà is the president of a Barcelona fan club and was already a pre-candidate in 2006 when he wasn't able to collect the signatures needed (read more here). This blog will publish some of the statements made by Guixà at a press conference last Wednesday.


Economic situation
Barça has done well at the economic level and regarding the new markets, mainly thank to Ferran Soriano and Jaume Ferrer. I have nevertheless some doubts on the financial situation of the club.

I surely will lift all veils, we will proceed until the end. Laporta promised transparency when he arrived at the club, but we didn't see any of that. We're still waiting for the 'due diligence' he promised.

Politics
There is a problem of overexposure since Laporta got involved with politics. If he wants to become a politician, I would advise him to leave the club first. Barcelona shouldn't belong to any political party, foundation or organization.

Remodelling of the Camp Nou
I will change the current project. The extension should start from the needs of the members and should try to give a place to all those who are now on the waiting list.

To finance this, the club can nevertheless not sell assets, something that can only be done when there are financial problems. We should also talk with the people who live in the surroundings of the stadium.

Poll results
The polls so far are not reflecting the reality of this moment. I can only say that so far our name has not been included in the polls. We have today presented our candidacy, so from now on we are another option for the Barcelona voters.

this is the third and last part of this series.

Read the previous parts of this series:
More about Guixa (1): Anti-Laportism
More about Guixa (2): Guardiola in, Begiristain out

Masfurroll cautious about election involvement

Asked about the rumours saying that he will be part of the candidacy of Sandro Rosell (read more here), former Barcelona vice-president Gabriel Masfurroll has said in an interview with Catalan radio station Catalunya Ràdio that it is too early to comment on the upcoming presidential elections:

"I think that's all too premature at this moment and I don't think it's good for Barça that there's talking about the elections six or more months before they take place. Let the team play, let's leave them alone and when the electoral period starts the people that want to take part can then present themselves, with the team they want."

Gabriel Masfurroll is the chairman and managing director of USP Hospitals, a network of private hospitals in Spain, southern Europe and Morocco. He is a former Barcelona board member under Josep Lluís Núñez and was a presidential candidate in 2000. He was vice-president under Joan Gaspart until he resigned in December 2002.

Read more:
Former vice-president hints at Rosell partnership
Candidates compete for future board members
The Rosell Project - Part 4: The Board (2)

More about Benedito (4): On Txiki and Camp Nou

Barcelona presidential candidate Agustí Benedito has in the past weeks given several interviews to Catalan newspapers, radio stations and television channels. This blog will give an overview of what the Catalan businessman had to say.

As a preface you can read this blog's five-parts introduction series on Benedito and the opinion piece he published last month.



Salary employees and players
I believe there should be more transparency and that the club members, as owners of the club, should be informed about the salaries of the executives of the club. And the same goes for the players.

I think the fans want to know these things and have the right to know. In general, we should be more economical, in all areas. This also involves the number of employees, which has increased from 170-180 in 2002 to over 300 now.

The exit of board members
When we formed our candidacy back in 2003, we thought we didn't have a lot of chances to win. We saw it more as another step - we had already been involved in a couple of elections. We wanted to let ourselves know, to play a role, to explain our project so that the next time, in 2007, we could win. But we won in 2003.

It's true that not all the directors knew each other for years. So you hadn't those close and long personal relationships and that could also have led to what we've seen over the years.

Fifteen people from the board of directors have left over the years, Joan Franquesa being the last one. And not counting members of several commissions of the club. I nevertheless think that every dismissal had its own specific circumstances and that there isn't one reason for this.

The group of Rosell for example left for different reasons than the ones who left after the vote of no confidence. In the case of Sandro Rosell, there was an internal power battle going on within the board, others have left for other reasons. Every case was different so I don't think it's fair to say that president Laporta is responsible for all the dismissals.

Franquesa? I have been very close with Joan. I talked with him before he left. He's a great person and an even greater Barcelona fan and it's a pity that the club won't be able to count on his qualities anymore. I'm sure he has had his reasons and for a man like him to leave the club, these must have been very serious. I can only wish him all the best.

Begiristain
I think that the era of Txiki will come to an end next year. I don't know what he will decide but what is clear to me is that if we win the elections, Txiki Begiristain won't continue. We will propose something else, but this is still too sensitive at this moment so I prefer to wait until the campaign starts to talk about our proposal.

Link with Rosell
I have a good relationship with some of the people who apparently will be part of the candidacy of Sandro, like for example Jordi Moix, but I haven't offered him to collaborate with him.

Before making the decision to run mid-July, I have indeed been talking with him but also with other people, namely current or former board members like Ferran Soriano, Albert Vicens, Albert Perrín, Joan Franquesa, Josep María Bartomeu, basically with a lot of people.

New Camp Nou
I think the Foster project has been dealt with badly from the start. The stadium needs a remodeling because it's 52 years old, but the investment shouldn't be so massive.

The budget is 250 million euros but the majority of the specialists say that it could in the end cost the club 400 million euros. It's a decision that is economically and strategically so important for the club that it can only be made after consulting with the fans.

this is the fourth and last part of a series.

Read the previous parts of this series:
More about Benedito (1): His reason for running
More about Benedito (2): On Laporta and Guardiola
More about Benedito (3): On his exit and politics

sources:
el 9 esportiu, catalunya ràdio, com ràdio, ona fm, tv cugat, tv3

What are the functions of the president?

Article 30.1 of the club's statutes, entitled "Functions of the President", enumerates the tasks of the president of FC Barcelona and reads as follows:

a) To preside over and direct the General Assembly, the Board of Directors, the Senate and any other Commission or Section whose meetings he or she attends.

b) To settle, through his or her casting vote, any tie in any vote made by the Board of Directors and, in such cases, of any Commissions or Sections he or she may form part of.

c) To fully represent FC Barcelona and the Board of Directors in relations with third parties.

d) The representation of FC Barcelona as patron of the Club Foundation.

e) To appoint, from the members of the Board of Directors, the different positions and their substitutes during the period of presidency.

f ) To propose temporary cover for any vacancies on the Board of Directors, in accordance with the stipulations of article 32.1.

g) Should the Delegate Commission regulated by article 34 not be constituted, to provisionally make any decisions that are the competence of the Board of Directors, when for reasons of urgency it is not possible to wait until the next meeting to be called, under the obligation of informing the Board at the immediately following session and obtaining its ratification.

h) All others that are stipulated by these Statutes.

Read more:
Who is eligible as president?
When will the elections be held?

More about Guixa (2): Guardiola in, Begiristain out

As this blog had revealed a few weeks earlier, Jauma Guixà, a 51-year old Catalan university professor, has announced that he will take part in next year's elections for president of FC Barcelona.

Guixà is the president of a Barcelona fan club and was already a pre-candidate in 2006 when he wasn't able to collect the signatures needed (read more here). This blog will publish some of the statements made by Guixà at a press conference last Wednesday.


Guardiola
I want to congratulate the magnificent players of the first team and the technical staff because it's thanks to them, and not to the board of directors, that Barcelona is going strong at this moment.

Pep Guardiola is sacred, I count on him and his team 100 percent because of what he has shown as a player, as the coach of Barcelona Atlètic and by making history with the first team. From Pep Guadiola down, we don't plan to touch anything or anyone.

Begiristain and Oliver
From Pep Guardiola up, everyone should leave. I don't trust Joan Oliver or Txiki Begiristain. They won't be part of my project.

Financing of his campaign
The total cost will be clear in a few weeks from now. I can only say that until this moment everything has been paid by myself and that I can guarantee we will get to the end of the election process. I will give further explanations after the elections are called.

Date of the elections
I think that the board could call the elections soon after the end of the World Cup for Clubs in December, so Laporta would have more time to start his new career in the world of politics and prepare his participation in the Catalan parliamentary elections later next year.

Linking up with others
I don't plan to join another pre-candidate but my group is open for all Barcelona fans who want to work in the benefit of the club.

His run in 2006
I will never again take part in elections that will be held in August or the summer. Now I have a lot more time to convince the members and to collect the signatures. Although I want to point out that in the end, I came out stronger because I got to know the club members and their wishes better.

this is the second part of a three-parts serie. you can read the first part here. you will be able to read third and last part in the coming days with guixà giving his opinion, among other things, on the plan to remodel the camp nou.

Read more:
Jaume Guixa will run for president
Candidates disapprove Laporta's party behaviour

Poll Rosell confirms his big lead

Spanish news agency EFE claims that Sandro Rosell, one of the candidates who will take part in next year's elections for president of FC Barcelona, has been holding own polls to learn more about the voting intentions of the club members

Sources of the entourage of Rosell have confirmed to the news agency that the results of the polls are quite similar to those that were published last week by Catalan newspaper El Periódico (check here) and that indicated that at this moment more than 50 percent of the voters would favour the former sports vice-president.

Read more:
Rosell plans to quit football business
Barcelona carrying out own election polls
Poll result: Who would you vote for today?

Benedito denies talks with Mascherano

In a comment on social networking website Facebook, Barcelona presidential candidate Agustí Benedito has denied that he has been in contact with Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano (25): "It has been published that we are talking with Mascherano. This is not true. I will not enter this game. I've denied the news as soon as I've heard about it. I hope this won't happen again."

British tabloid News Of The World claimed last weekend that Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez fears that Mascherano will be used by candidates to attract votes in Barcelona's presidential elections next year, with Benedito and Sandro Rossell reportedly planning to make the signing of the Argentinian a key election promise. The Spanish coach would therefore hope to renew the contract of Mascherano, that expires in 2012, as soon as possible.

Read more:
Rosell sounding out Fernando Torres
Cesc gives his ok to presidential candidates
Barcelona wants to tie down Ribery before elections

The Quote: Oriol Giralt

"I'm totally astonished to hear that Sala i Martín could be the successor appointed by the current president because he's a culer out of self-interest and not because of a feeling."

Oriol Giralt,
instigator of the vote of no confidence against the board of FC Barcelona in 2008

read more election quotes here

Soriano scoring in Japan with management book

Several Catalan papers report today that a management book written by former Barcelona economic vice-president Ferran Soriano has been launched with great success in Japan.

"Goruwa gusen no sumbutsu dewanai", a translation of his book "La pilota no entra per atzar" (The ball doesn't go in by chance) that was published in April of this year, was released last week in Japan and is at this moment the sixth most sold non-fiction book in the Asian country.

The sports management book, that is also for sale in Mexico, Czechia, South Corea and Brazil, tells the experience of Soriano as vice-president of Barcelona and explains the model that was introduced in the club since Joan Laporta became president in 2003.

Soriano, who is currently the chairman of Spanish airline Spanair and is still thinking about his involvement in next year's elections for president of Barcelona (read more here), was last weekend in Japan and gave fifteen interviews to local papers and magazines. On Friday, a one-page publicity announcement will be published in Japan's main newspapers.

Read more:
Soriano: "I will take part in the electoral debate"
Rosell writing second book
Soriano meeting with Godall and Sala

sources: el periódico, el mundo deportivo, sport

Poll result: Is Laporta a good president?

Do you think that Joan Laporta is a good president?

Yes 63,8 %
No 33,6 %
Don't know/Don't answer 2,7 %

total votes: 800
date poll: 29 november 2009
poll method: interviews with club members who have the right to vote by polling agency Gesop in the surroundings of the Camp Nou around the time of the league game against Real Madrid, 95% certainty, 3,5% margin of error
source: el periódico

check more election poll results here

Cesc gives his ok to presidential candidates

Spanish sports paper Marca claims that several people who will take part in the elections for president, one of them being former Barcelona vice-president Sandro Rosell, have contacted the entourage of Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fàbregas (22), who reportedly reacted positively to the question if he wants to join Barcelona next summer.

Cesc would have decided to almost certainly leave Arsenal at the end this season and he could have the permission from Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger to look for another club if Arsenal receives a transfer fee of at least 50 million euros. Real Madrid would be alerted by the latest events and would soon decide if they will enter the race for the Catalan midifielder.

Read more:
Laporta wants Cesc before end of his term
Barcelona wants to tie down Ribery before elections
Rosell sounding out Fernando Torres