12/30/2020 19:00
Clarín.com
sports
Updated 12/30/2020 9:28 PM
Less than a month before the elections in which the members of Barcelona will elect the future president of the club, who will replace Josep María Bartomeu, the candidates are raising the temperature of the exchanges and, above all, multiplying the promises and elements of seduction for voters.
Along these lines, anything goes, from the appeal to the glories of the institution to bartering a firm for a pizza.
Jordi Farré began this Wednesday the collection of the 2,257 signatures necessary to register his candidacy for the elections that will take place on Sunday, January 24 (the deadline expires on January 11).
And its launch was marked by a practice that more than one could consider clients: it offered pizza to those who endorsed its application.
"The candidacy of Jordi Farré wants to reward the members of the best club in the world with the best pizza in the world, the one prepared by Fabián Martín, winner of the World Greatest Gourmet Pizza in New York," Nou Impuls FCB, the platform, highlighted in a statement. that promotes the candidacy of the 45-year-old businessman.
For the next three days, Farré will continue at the headquarters of his candidacy, in the central Barcelona neighborhood of Les Corts, with this and other actions that will include exhibitions of freestyle football and the delivery of vouchers to get tattoos to the partners who support him.
Jordi Farré (left) delivers a pizza to a partner at his campaign headquarters, in the Les Corts neighborhood of the Catalan capital.
(Photo: Nou Impuls FCB Press)
When making his first decisions in case of being chosen, Farré guaranteed the continuity of Lionel Messi in the club.
"I dare to say that if I am president, the next day Messi will renew," he said.
As if that were not enough, he revealed that he will seek Neymar to return to the institution.
With less extravagant actions but also with strong definitions, Víctor Font, another candidate for the presidency, presented this Wednesday the bases of his sports project for Barça, which would have two men with history in the institution: Xavi Hernández and Jordi Cruyff .
If Font wins the elections, Xavi Hernández will be, in principle, the general manager of Soccer.
However, the candidate acknowledged that if Ronald Koeman does not continue on the bench after this season, his place would be taken by the former footballer who wore the club's shirt for 17 years and who this Wednesday said goodbye to Qatari Al-Sadd, whom he directed from May 2019.
Víctor Font presents the organization chart that will be implemented in Barcelona in case of winning the elections.
(Photo: Víctor Font Press: Yes to the Future)
Meanwhile, Jordi Cruyff, Johan's son and former Blaugrana footballer, would be the sports director and, as such, "responsible for marking all the coaches and all the players, the key person on the issue of signings," as explained Juli López , who would occupy the new position of General Director of Sports if Font succeeds.
In the same vein, another candidate for the presidency, businessman Emili Rousaud announced on Wednesday that if he wins, he will appoint Josep Maria Minguella as sports vice president and will try to add Bulgarian Hristo Stoichkov and Carles Rexach to the club's structure.
Minguella has a long history linked to Barcelona: he was a technical assistant, advisor during the presidency of Joan Gaspart and, as a footballer agent, he participated in the arrival at the club of Diego Maradona, Romario and Rivaldo, among others.
In 2000, he participated in the meeting in which the arrival of Lionel Messi was agreed.
He was also a presidential candidate, with little success, in 2003 and 2010.
Emili Rousaud (left), smiling next to Josep Maria Minguella (right).
(Photo: Els millors press, to Barça!)
One of his functions would be to appoint the future sports director.
For that position, he assured that he had three names on file, although he refused to reveal them because they had a current contract with other institutions.
"Our sports director will be an experienced person who is not in China like Jordi Cruyff or Qatar like Xavi," he shot.
Regarding Messi's future, Minguella was "hopeful" that he will stay.
“He is delighted here, but wants to win titles.
If we win, we will propose a winning project ”, he said.
And, as for possible reinforcements, he mentioned the French Kylian Mbappé and the Norwegian Erling Haaland.
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