Barcelona constitution amended

At the annual assembly of Barca socis on the 19th of August, 2009, amendments to the constitution of FC Barcelona were made regarding the terms of the president and the board.

86% of those present in the assembly voted for the extension of the term from the earlier four to six years. The president of the board may serve a maximum of two consecutive terms.

The change in the constitution is in accordance with the decree of the Catalan parliament, which limits the terms for club boards and presidents from a minimum of six to a maximum of eight years.

All the mandates of a newly elected board shall begin on July 1 and end on June 30. In the event of an early termination, the term of the new board shall also take effect from July 1 and the period in between will not be counted as one year. This was done to avoid situations like the one that arose with Laporta in 2006, when he was forced to call elections because his first eight days in office in 2003 were counted as one year as per the previous statutes.

The reform also confirmed Catalan as the statutory language of the club and the Catalan citizenship as a necessary pre-requisite for presidential candidacy. Other highlights of the constitutional assembly include penalties for members who have xenophobic, violent or unsportsmanlike behavior.

Read more:
Next president will stay on for six years

Next president will stay on for six years

At Barcelona's socio's assembly there has been decided on the change of the term of the next Barcelona president.

A modification of the relevant Catalan legislation forced the club to change the four-years term.

The new term of office of the board of directors will be for six years (instead of four years until now), starting on 1st July and finishing on 30th June. The president of the Board may serve a maximum of two consecutive terms. Residence in Catalonia will be a necessary precondition to be elected president.

Read more:
Final proposal for six years term for president

Final proposal for six years term for president

The details of the proposed new club statutes of FC Barcelona, which will be presented for approval to the representative assembly on 19th August, have been published.

The modification of Decree 145/1991, which regulates the constitutions of clubs and sports associations, was approved by the Catalan Parliament last November. It established that the term of office of governing boards may not be less than six years nor more than eight. The new decree requires clubs to adapt their constitutions before new elections.

The club now proposes that the term of office of the board of directors will be for six years (instead of four years until now), starting on 1st July and finishing on 30th June. The president of the Board may serve a maximum of two consecutive terms. Residence in Catalonia will be a necessary precondition to be elected president.

read more about the proposed changes to the club's statutes here


Read more:
Internet voting could be allowed for 2010 elections

Defending Eto'o AND Barcelona. Part 2.

Defending Eto'o AND Barcelona. Part two.

By: Ramzi Tanani
Part One: Here

The Eto’o Case, what’s beyond the smoke?

The fake emotional battle:

Many emotional statements were thrown on the table by the player’s agent, Barcelona board, and the club fans.

For the fans, it is an emotional situation. Some fans worship Eto’o as the one and only. Without him Barcelona relegates. He loves the club and the club betrayed him. He has the right to be angry. The board just lost it! They made a huge mistake and now they are squeezed in the corner, fair enough! And what’s more to say about Barcelona board of directors? Racists!

Some other fans prefer to have other players in place. There is no way to promote a new name without damaging Eto’o image, right? He lacks quality and class. Barcelona made him and now the evil man is refusing to move to another club so Barcelona earns money to buy someone else. He just wants to ruin Barcelona! Want to go for free next season, Mercenary!

That’s the fans island. For Eto’o there is nothing emotional about it, neither for the club. It is business, pure business. He is seeking his own interest as a player, as any player. Knocking his 29th year’s door, he is aware that his following contract is the most important one in his career, and rightfully he is working for what suits him most. The board of directors is seeking their own interest for being responsible of the club by doing what they believe it’s the best for the future of the team.

If he will leave, he will not leave because he is angry (emotions). It will only happen if he finds a better contract that suits him more, somewhere else. Last season the Coach and the board boldly informed him that he is not wanted; he didn’t get angry, nor he left. There were some interested clubs, his contract demands were too high to meet, so he stayed. This season, no one announced that he is unwanted. Instead all the options were (and are) opened. So if he didn’t get angry back then, he won’t now.

Barcelona for him is a team he likes. But the team he loves is Mallorca. The moment he finds a better team to join, his heart's mood will switch. The same as I will not believe if Henry claims that he loves Barcelona, and that’s why he plays there. I am not even sure if Messi's first love is Barcelona or Newell’s Old Boys. Though, no one can doubt his commitment toward Barcelona. There is nothing insulting in that. It doesn’t damage the player value and contribution toward the club.

Next summer there is an election at Barcelona. The current board's popularity between the fans will decide the destiny of the following election. Eto’o agent is simply pressing that bottom, using the fans against the board to put some pressure. Dirty, but Fair game.

The Barcelona Board in return, holds nothing personal against Eto’o. In fact, Eto’o was always labelled a Laporta man, while Ronaldinho was the Sandro Rosell signing. Till this moment, Laporta has only made positive statements about Eto’o, as a player and as a person. At the same time, if they renew Eto’o deal it will not be because they like him (emotions), But because he ended up being the best option to take. Being a team legend or a key player guarantees you no contract, nor does it assure your survival with the team. Ronaldinho? You stay as long as you are the best alternative for the club. And that’s the right question to ask, is Eto’o the best forward for Barcelona? It’s an emotionless case-study to analyse.

Eto’o and Barcelona paths, where they concurred and where they clashed:

When Laporta era settled in place, there was a need to sign a new striker. The former cards (Kluivert and Saviola), though being popular to an extent, failed to convince the new regime. The board signed that guy from Mallorca, and the adventure began.

After a short slow start, Eto’o started to prove his worth. He dissolved in the team dynamic and became a must for the team machine to keep on going. That hungry talented group succeeded to create a golden era in the clubs history.

After the Champions league victory in Paris, the club was heading toward the following season with lot of hopes.

Eto’o's contract was secure back then, with three years to expire. The season turned to become a flop, the title was lost in the last moment.

The board of directors decided to stick to the old guns that brought success for the team. Eto’o had no intention to leave as well. At least he didn’t mention it. The following season started, and it was worse than the former. The dressing room collapsed. The team performance turned to be the shadow of the glorious days. And the season ended in the worst catastrophic way possible.

Pep Guardiola became the new coach. And he was clear about Eto’o, Ronaldinho, and Deco situation. He wanted them out. Deco became a clear liability, and so was Ronaldinho. Regarding Eto’o, there were a mix of tactical needs and personality concerns toward the player. Yet, selling Eto’o and buying a new striker had to go in parallel. That was the basic difficulty. After a year where Eto’o showed his ugliest face both on the pitch and outside, no team was willing to take the risk of spending lot of money on him. Neither to buy him, nor to offer him the contract he demanded. Barcelona were not willing to decrease the player price enough to encourage the other teams to make offers, specially when the transfer targets to substitute him became more and more expensive.

With no team willing to bid for him fairly, and when the hopes to sign a different striker started to fade, there was no other option for the team and the player but to stick together. Yet, it was impossible to start a renewal negotiation last summer. The board can’t make an attempt to renew a player contract if he wasn’t originally needed by the Coach. The Coach still had doubts about the player. And the player was not settling enough yet to accept an extension, Regardless of all the parties intentions back then.

The season kicked off, Impressively, Generating magic and charm week in week out. If we want to suppose that Barcelona wanted to renew Eto’o contract, that was the worst time to make the attempt. The player, as the whole team, was extremely motivated, focussed and in the mood. The last thing recommended is to interrupt his workflow by contracts and conditions that may end either way. Eto’o himself repeated again and again that he does not want to talk about renewal till the season ends. So there was no way to talk about it till the summer.

Here we are, summer 2009. Eto’o has one more year in his contract. He didn’t buy out the contract, so the first (and worst) threat vanished. If he did so, then we can talk about catastrophic condition. Imagine the team with no striker and ten millions in hand earned through Eto’o contract cancellation. The other teams will abuse our desperate need for a striker like never before, and we have no choice but to buy. He didn’t do it for a reason. It opposes his own interest. And it was for the best of the club as well.

Eto’o has all his options open now. The best scenario for him is actually to stay with the club till next summer, then go for free. He will get a decent amount of money to sign (for another club) and will earn a decent contract. It’s also for the best of the other teams to wait one more year. The accounting is simple:

At the moment any team interested in Eto’o need to pay an average of 30 M to Barcelona, and at least 8.5 M annually for Eto’o as a salary for, say five years.

The whole Eto’o deal will cost the team 72.5 M for five years.
Eto’o will earn 42.5 M for the following five years. He will be 33 years by then.

If the deal didn’t take place now, next summer any team will be willing to offer Eto’o 10 M to sign plus 10 M annual salary contract for the following four years.

This deal will cost the buying team 50 M during the following four years, saving 22.5 M by waiting one season. A season where Eto’o will get an international call for one and a half month anyways.

Eto’o will earn 50 M in four years plus the money he will earn at Barcelona playing with them one more season. All in all he will earn in the following five years 15 M more if he stayed with Barcelona for one more season than if he leaves right now.

That’s why, he is not in a hurry. He will only leave this season if he got a very attractive offer, both financially and as a sport project. If I will be in his place I will think the same, you?

Eto'o betrays Barcelona if he decided to stay next season before going for free. Wrong.

There is a contract. It says that Eto'o will play with Barcelona until the end of next season. To change the contract conditions both parties need to agree on that. It is as simple as that. Eto'o was even able to buy out his contract only by informing the club two weeks before the transfer period takes place. Even that wouldn't be considered a betray. That's the system and everyone is aware of it. He has the right to stay. It's more appropriate to say that Barcelona are betraying him by trying to offload him before the agreed date (next summer) than to say Eto'o is playing it bad. Eto'o is only committed to his contract conditions, without any further obligations.

Barcelona board, so stupid dealing with Eto’o case till it went that Far. Wrong.

First, as mentioned above, we reached this stage as a result of what happened during the previous two years. The board had to do more regarding some other issues surrounding the club in the past two years but they hesitated. The Eto’o mess is more a side effect of that. At the moment, the board will not sell Eto’o till they insure a secure transfer to fill his place. If we sell Eto’o fast, we will be in a weak negotiating position while shopping for a new striker, we can’t afford not buying. Inter and Valencia know that as well. That’s why they are demanding 35 M. No team will pay that amount of money for a player with an expiring contract. When we buy a new striker, Barcelona will drop a price gradually. The right price for Eto’o is the price that makes the transfer cost for the buyer sounds slightly higher than waiting till next season to get him.

But why are we going to offload a quality striker like Eto’o in the first place?

March 18, 2009, when Eto’o contract renewal was as certain as a done deal, while Henry future was in doubt, I wrote This Article Explaining why things may not be as certain as it may look. I recommend reading the reasons why I think Barcelona board hesitates to renew Eto’o's contract.

Any striker is a mixed dose of Finishing, decision making, strength, altitude, pace, positioning, Motivation (driven personality), techniques.

Eto’o is the dynamic type of forwards. He count mostly on his stamina, pace and physical strength. His finishing and positioning are good, but not first class. He scored lot of goals no doubt, but there is a reason why he did so, even though he is not the most lethal finisher. Lets compare him to the clinical type of Strikers (Klinsmann, Inzaghi, etc…) without considering the clinical as better, because definitely Eto’o is a better striker, at least compared to Inzaghi.

Yet, Inzaghi may vanish for the whole game. His contribution with his teammates building up offense may sound negligible, defensively he does not exist. Yet if he gets three scoring opportunities he will score two goals. Eto’o in the other hand is more a team contributor. His continuous runs and the way he links with his teammates generates him six scoring opportunities and he may score a hat rick. So in terms of finishing quality the clinical striker is better, but in terms of performance efficiency Eto’o is the leader.

Now that’s another prove that offloading Eto’o is stupid, right? Wrong. Because we need to install the most two crucial factors in this analysis, age and motivation. Finishing, positioning and decision making improves with age. In fact the clinical strikers hit their peak performance when they are between 30 and 33 years old. It’s not the same for dynamic strikers, when they approach their thirties, their offense dynamics start to fade gradually. Without his continuous runs, Eto’o loses a major slice of his quality. He can definitely keep being a quality striker for next season, but renewing his contract for four or five more years means that you will count on him till he run the down hill of his thirties.

Motivation wise, a very general question is appropriate in this analysis: How many strikers were able to keep their peak performance with their teams for ten years? For a player like Eto’o, Motivation and offense dynamics (runs and continuous pressure) are interrelated. When he is motivated he runs, when he feel fit he gets more motivated to push himself to the edge by applying mean, continuous pressure on the opponent. If his fitness level drops, his body will start giving warning calls and will have a huge mental impact on his motivation and over all quality as a striker. When he gets less motivated, his offense dynamics will automatically decline.

One of the reasons that motivated Eto’o to perform brilliantly last season was actually proving a point after last season chaos. Now the question is: What will motivate a 30 year old Eto’o with 2 CL or more in his first pocket, and 3 Ligas or more in his second pocket and some pichichi to push himself to offer more? Specially being settled by a lifetime contract with his team. Though he is a driven person by nature, but that’s not enough. This is why a new striker who needs to win the CL at least may prove a smart idea. If a new striker set an objective for himself to break Eto’o's scoring record with Barcelona, that will be more than enough to keep him motivated for at least four seasons.

Here we are definitely not recommending a pure clinical striker. That will not be a good option for Barcelona. But I used the Clinical striker argument to point out Eto’o's strength, and weaknesses.

Get me a new 22 years old Eto’o and forget about any other transfer target. The only concern will be then will be parked buses. But there is always a way to crush the bus without a tall striker. Eto’o's life cycle with Barcelona is heading to its end, better ends it at its peak than waiting till everything collapses then we try to fix. With another team he will have a new challenge to motivate him. He will do great to an extend that I hope we don’t meet him in CL.

Besides, Eto’o can’t finance any bit of his salary demand. He does not sell shirts. It may sound like a small detail, but it all counts when you make a decision.

There is a risk of course that a new striker may not raise to the expectations. That’s an ever existing risk. It was there when the team offloaded Kluivert and bought Eto’o. There were no guarantees. The risk of offloading Ronaldinho was huge as well. The guy kept being a scoring machine even during his worst season with Barcelona. He was a money generator as well. We took the risk, and no one can complain about the output now. You can’t demand perfectly secure decisions in management; risks are a part of the game. You take a risk, you may improve or fail. You don’t take risks, you will fail for sure.

Eto’o case is a crisis that may lead to catastrophic results. Wrong.

Having an Eto’o in his last year contract next season may bring on the table a better Eto’o like performance than a performance of an extended contract Eto’o. I believe a motivated Eto’o is always better than the settled one. Motivation is important for any player/person. But with Eto’o its something extra. When this guy is motivated, he is a monster!
Playing with an expiring contract will give him an added reason to prove himself. For the next employer, whom he will discuss with at the end of the season. But most importantly, he will be extra determined to prove that Barcelona was wrong (even stupid) not to renew his contract. Can you imagine what kind of Eto’o we will have then?

I am saying that just to point out that I am not over concerned by Eto’o's case. If he stays with expiring contract, he will perform next season. If he leaves, I don’t think the team will collapse because the board will have to buy another quality striker with pluses and minuses compared to Eto’o. If he extends his contract, it means both parties (club and Eto’o) turned the old page, there will be other challenges but we discuss it then, if it happens.

On the economic fold, I don’t think we will be losing a lot as well. With the current market inflation any player will cost 15 M more than his fair price. Next summer we will not have a similar craziness unless if Man City secure a spot for the CL. Even then I doubt they will automatically generate the image to sign big names. But it’s all unlikely.

So, if we failed to sell Eto’o for 25 M (Barcelona are demanding 35 M), we will simply lose him for free next summer and buy a new striker for almost a fair price. All in all, it will cost 10 M more than getting that new striker now and selling Eto’o straight forward. Now evaluating the two options of either buying a new striker next summer for 10 M more or making a panic desperate buy at the moment and offloading Eto’o makes the risk of both options too close to consider one of them as brilliance and the other as catastrophic. Really.

I believe the third option of extending Eto’o contract so he turns to become the long term option for Barcelona till he is over 32, with the type of strikers he is, is the more complicated option in its plus and minus than the first two alternatives.

That’s why, I understand continuous discussions about this matter, but I don’t see the catastrophic results both sides are panicking over, if he leaves, or stays.

Finally

As a person who doesn’t take any press speeches seriously, I think no one really knows how it went indoors. This man can only put himself in every party's shoes and try to predict. Laporta and co. joined Pep and co. to discuss this matter. Even if some of them are naïve (and I doubt that), it’s unlikely that they are all stupid. So, the output of their discussion was definitely based on reasonable bases. Agree on it or disagree, that’s a personal opinion; do not turn it to a permanent judgement.

Ramzi Tanani

Read More:

Defending Eto'o AND Barcelona. Part 1.

What to do to stay

Eto'o should be allowed to choose his own ending

Defending Eto'o AND Barcelona. Part 1.

Defending Eto'o AND Barcelona

By: Ramzi Tanani

He’s standing there, on the top of the world. The clouds crown his shoulders, his glory shines bold. Sparking like a flame, while the nation chants his name.

The eyes seek the pride, of staring at him. The cheerful throats exploded, burning the lips rim. The trees, the breeze, the rocks, the blocks, the streets, the suites, women and men from infants to ancients, all were there to sing, the name of the king!

Then the dark wings of night, spread and squeezed the light. The king rested his eyes, waiting the sun to rise. Tomorrow? Will be the same. More praise, and blaze, and fame. What the poor soul forgot, when euphoria wine clot, the brilliance turns to blot.

The moon slowly dived, and a new day arrived. The same previous gathering, was taking place again. But he can sense a change. The joy turned to pain, the tone sounded strange. He steps out to balcony, the screams turns baloney. He is the jerk, he is the freak. A dagger that lurk, an evil geek. He is a dumb, he is a slump. He is naïve, he has to leave. A hopeless case, a crisis to face.

One heart beat, was long enough to delete, his entire feat. After being the Ace, now he is a disgrace.

Isn’t it strange?

How gods become devils at a blink of an eye. Then get dragged out, through the backdoor, no matter how they try.

That’s the story of Eto’o, Laporta, Txiki, or even Pep. It depends on the crowd you join and the hymns you chant.

There is a case to discuss, No doubt about it. Eto’o and Barcelona, his agent and the board, what’s next to predict or to expect. All that worth debating about. Yet, It’s the approach, not the perspective, that makes all this issue a case of disgrace.

Talking about the approach first, how would any Barcelona fan hate Eto’o? Insult him, underestimate his achievements with and for Barcelona. How is it possible to doubt the quality of a player who contributed in winning more Champions league titles for the club than the club had ever won? How is it possible to understand calling one of the team’s greats as mercenary? What is the message that we are sending for any player we are targeting to join this club? What is the image, the culture, and the ethical platform that we are promoting about this club that we truly believe it is more than a club?

Let me pass an early note now for what I will discuss later. I have supported and will support the idea of making the change, and having someone else to lead the front line. I have my reasons. But for the past two weeks I had to drag myself to read the wave of essays and opinions written about the guy, and this man started to wonder if I was dreaming about the night of May 27, 2009 or it’s something the entire world witnessed. I am not pointing toward the fans debates, but more the articles written by some journalists in Spain. The least to say is that it’s unacceptable.

We have a Belletti shoe at the club museum for the goal he scored at the last Champions league victory. The Brazilian was hailed when he represented Chelsea against Barcelona this season at the Camp Nou. That was a great sign of gratitude. Yet, no offense, Belletti, but its not even fair to compare Belletti's contribution in the club success, to that of Eto’o. So, Can we -at least- respect the guy? Can we, while saying whatever we feel it’s the right thing for Barcelona- at least-do some effort to pick the right words? This disgraceful free fall must stop.

Then, what about the board of directors’ quality? I can understand that sometimes the public get fooled once, but twice in less than a year is too much for my taste. One year ago we heard the same noisy voices that Laporta and co. lost it. They are flops. They have no quality. They must leave. A new board is more than needed. Luckily (it was pure luck, not common sense) that the destructive camp aiming to ruin Laporta era failed. That’s how we won the treble. Again, That’s how we won the treble. How is it possible to hide in a bush waiting for any tiny chance to punch the chin of the best board of directors we had in the club's modern history? Not only for the achievements and titles the team won, but most importantly for saving the club from being a Valencia mess. For the youth who do not know, Barcelona situation was worse than the current Valencia situation when Laporta and his board made their move. For those who were following that period, it’s always the right time to remember. Some of that first board's pioneers left the ship afterwards, true. But it’s not a reason to give them any credit. When things turned bad some ran for their lives, others faced the tsunamis and guided the club from one glory to another. The ones we have now are the ones to hail. Period.

I refuse to worship anyone just because he achieved greatness. Whether that person was Eto’o, Txiki, Laporta, Pep, you name it. But I demand that Barcelona community to be aware of the value of the people we are throwing on the table. Not only because this community has a responsibility toward the clubs present and future but also for its responsibility of recording the current era fairly in the history book of this club.

Mistakes happen. Eto’o may do it, the board of directors, the coach, or the fans. But it’s important to point out the mistakes – if they exist- without ruining everything we are proud of. This generation of Barcelona fans is luckier than they may think. Ten years ago, it was a very painful experience to be a Barcelona fan. Now it’s a carnival. Always appreciate the men who contributed in this, even while pointing out their mistakes, if they exist. So let’s pack the insults in a dark room, avoid the heat of the moment debates so we talk with some sense.

Ramzi Tanani

Read More:
What to do to stay
Barcelona wants to postpone return Eto'o
Eto'o decides to leave the club

Internet voting could be allowed for 2010 elections

Spanish news agency EFE reports that Barcelona's board will propose to the next General Assembly to change the club's by laws.

The board wants to enable the socios to take part in the presidential elections by voting through the internet. If adopted, the internet vote will already be implented for nect year's elections.

Another proposal is to change the duration of a presidential term to a period of six years, with one possible re-election (read more here).

The current duration of four years had to be adapted to the new Catalan legislation about sports clubs and associations that says that presidential terms should be between six and eight years. Barcelona unsuccesfully tried to negotiate an exception with the Catalan government.

Read more:
Presidential term could be extended to six years

Presidential term could be extended to six years

Spanish news agency EFE claims that the commison charged with the change of Barcelona's by-laws will propose to change the duration of a presidential term to a period of six years.

The current duration of four years had to be adapted to the new Catalan legislation about sports clubs and associations that says that presidential terms should be between six and eight years. Barcelona unsuccesfully tried to negotiate an exception with the Catalan government.

Just like it is now, a president could in the future also be re-elected once, which would mean a maximum term of twelve years. The changes to the club's by-laws have to be adopted by a general assembly in August or September. Another proposal says that socios should be able to vote in the presidential elections by internet.

Read more:
Next president could stay on for seven years

Camp Nou (second) greatest sporting venue

British tabloid The Daily Mail has put together a list of the 50 greatest sporting venues in the world.

Barcelona's Camp Nou stadium finishes second in the ranking, behind the old Wembley stadium that disappeared a few years ago.


The top ten:

1) The old Wembley Stadium, London
2) Nou Camp, Barcelona
3) Lord's (cricket)
4) All England Club, Wimbledon
5) Anfield, Liverpool
6) Augusta National (golf)
7) Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
8) Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
9) St Andrews (golf)
10) Melbourne Cricket Ground

in an alternative list, the Camp Nou comes out on top before Madison Square Garden and the Bombonera stadium of Boca Juniors (read more here)


Read more:
Camp Nou voted best sports stadium in the world

Barcelona president visits India

Barcelona president Joan Laporta and a delegation from the club travelled to India this week. On Thursday, Laporta inaugurated a XICS centre in Bathalapalli, the first one of this solidarity centres, an international project supported by Barcelona, in Asia (read more here). Yesterday, Laporta laid the first stone of the second XICS centre in the town of Atmakur (read more here).

During his stay in India, Laporta talked with two of the country's main newspapers: The Times of India ("It's our contribution to the social integration of some of the most disadvantaged children. We're using football as a tool to better the lives of the less fortunate") and The Hindu ("Typical of our fiercely independent Catalonian psyche, we don’t speculate but ensure ball control").

Barcelona most popular club in Europe

German research and consultancy company Sport+Markt says that Barcelona is the most popular club across Europe.

The company conducted for the second consecutive year a survey of 9600 football fans between 15 and 69 years in 16 European countries.

Despite a little decline, Barcelona stays on top of the ranking with over 44 million fans across the European continent.


Top 10
1. Barcelona: 44,2 million
2. Real Madrid: 41 million
3. Manchester United: 37,6 million
4. Chelsea: 25,6 million
5. Zenit Saint Petersburg: 23,9 million
6. Liverpool: 23 million
7. Arsenal: 21,3 million
8. AC Milan: 21 million
9. Bayern Munich: 19,8 million
10. Juventus: 17,5 million


Read more:
Barcelona third richest club in the world

Barcelona third richest club in the world

According to the 'Football Money League 2009' publication of professional services firm Deloitte, Barcelona is the third richest football club in the world.

Barcelona retains that third place with total revenue exceeding 300 million euro for the first time with an increase of 18,7 million euro to 308,8 million euro.

Broadcasting revenues continues to provide the most significant share of the club's overall revenue at 38%. Commercial revenue and matchday revenue represent 33% and 29%.

Barcelona has budgeted revenues of 380 million euro for the current 2008-2009 season due to the step change delivered by its new long-term broadcast contract with Mediapro and a restructured commercial contract with sports supplier Nike.


Top 10 revenues 2007-2008
1. Real Madrid: 366 million
2. Manchester United: 325 million
3. Barcelona: 309 million
4. Bayern Munich: 295 million
5. Chelsea: 269 million
6. Arsenal: 264 million
7. Liverpool: 211 million
8. AC Milan: 210 million
9. AS Roma: 175 million
10. Inter Milan: 173 million

you can download a free copy of the report here


#

Camp Nou voted best sports stadium in the world

British sports fans have voted Barcelona's Camp Nou as the bests sports stadium in the world.

In a survey on the "Seven Sporting Wonders of the World", the Camp Nou finished second behind Monaco's Formula One street circuit.

The survey was conducted by Barclays Spaces for Sports, a programme launched in 2004 to create sustainable sports facilities in disadvantaged communities across the UK.


Full result
1. Monaco F1 Circuit: 18%
2. Camp Nou Stadium, Barcelona: 15%
3. Bird's Nest, Bejing: 14%
4. Bernabeu, Madrid: 5%
5. San Siro, Milan: 4%
6. Maracana, Rio de Janeiro: 4%
7. Melbourne Cricket ground, Australia: 4%

Next president could stay on for seven years

Barcelona president Joan Laporta spoke yesterday to the club's official media about some changes that need to be made to the club's by-laws as a consequence of the new Catalan legislation about sports clubs and associations.

Laporta said that the club is thinking about introducing two main changes:

1. the term of the president would be seven years and one could only serve as president for one term.
2. people should be able to vote in the presidential elections by internet.

The changes to the club's by-laws have to be adopted by a general assembly in the summer.

read more here


pep's opinion:
if i understand it well, the new rule says that one term should be between six and eight years. in that case, I think two terms of six years would be better. if you have only one term, you could be tempted to forget about the long-term. i also think this change should mean it should be made easier to vote a president out of his seat since seven years is a long time for the next elections. the voting by internet is a great idea (if they can organize it in a secure way).

Barcelona best team in modern football era

The International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) has put together an all-time club world ranking.

For reasons stated below the ranking only covers the period from 1 January 1991 until 31 December 2008.




1. Barcelona (Spain) 757
2. Manchester United (England) 678
3. Juventus (Italy) 621
4. AC Milan (Italy) 611
5. Real Madrid (Spain) 605
6. Inter Milan (Italy) 567
7. Bayern Munich (Germany) 563
8. Arsenal (England) 550
9. River Plate (Argentina) 503
10. Chelsea (England) 442
11. Liverpool (England) 435
12. Porto (Portugal) 425
13. Boca Juniors (Argentina) 420
14. AS Roma (Italy) 405
15. Ajax Amsterdam (Holland) 400
16. Parma (Italy) 373
17. São Paulo (Brazil) 367
--. Valencia (Spain) 367
19. Glasgow Rangers (Scotland) 364
20. Lazio Roma (Italy) 342


See the full ranking here



An All-time Club World Ranking can only be meaningful and useful if it can be determined by taking account all the results of the national championships, the national cup competitions, the club competitions of the six continental confederations and the FIFA. It is therefore only possible to determine an All-time Club World Ranking from January 1st, 1991 – when the Club World Ranking began taking all these details into consideration.

The period from 1872 to 1990 can only be asssessed subjectively, mostly by using national and international champions as a guide. It follows that teams placed in the individual competitions cannot be taken into consideration, even if their titles were won easily or in spite of many defeats. It is simply not possible to establish a basis for giving all participating clubs an equal opportunity for the period 1872 to 1990.

The IFFHS has therefore has decided, logically, that the All-time Club World Ranking should be determined from January 1st, 1991 using the annual Club World Ranking (the situation at 31st December annually). For this it will take into consideration the "Top 50 Clubs", annually and award them points from 50 points for the top club down to 1 point for the club in 50th place. Adding the points from the individual years for each club will provide the All-time Club World Ranking.

Barcelona squad visits children in hospitals

The Barcelona squad went to visit children in the hospitals in and around Barcelona yesterday.


Seven groups each visited one hospital:

- Valdés, Alves, Cáceres, Bojan, assistant coach Vilanova, president Laporta, vice-president Franquesa

- Messi, Piqué

- Márquez, Henry, Abidal, Puyol, Hleb, manager Guardiola, vice-president Godall
- Eto'o, Iniesta, Touré, Keita, goalkeepingcoach Unzué

- Sylvinho, Jorquera, Pedro

- Gudjohnsen, Pinto

- Xavi, Busquets, Víctor Sánchez
















see more pictures here

Laporta: "We want to be global to be stronger"

Barcelona president Joan Laporta gave an interview to the club's official media.





Did you imagine in August that everything would go so well?
We’d taken some decisions in the belief that things would turn out well, but what the football first team’s done is way beyond expectations.

Choosing Guardiola was risky but he seems to be on the right track.
It was an important decision because it meant changing the manager of the first team, and that’s one of the most important decisions you can take. It’s true it wasn’t supported by all, but nonetheless we chose Guardiola. We thought things would go well because he knows more about football and about the club than just about anyone. We believe things are on the right lines. However, I would repeat that we have to be cautious and calm about it and keep our feet on the ground.

Guardiola means Barça will keep the style that’s so admired around the world and maybe update it.
That’s right. Guardiola is keeping the essence and football philosophy of Barça with an attacking game, looking to win right from the kick-off and playing possession football as it’s taught in our academy, and above all with an intense commitment and a willingness to fight to the end. I think he's doing things that are appreciated all around the world.

It’s been a smooth changeover in terms of playing style.
I think it’s important to stress something here: we have to be grateful to the past. We have to be grateful to people like Frank Rijkaard and other players who have led this team and are now no longer here. They’ve also helped towards the good times we’re going through now. Some of our players have learnt a lot from others who’ve since left the club. Frank Rijkaard has given us a lot and laid the groundwork for what the team is doing now and how it’s playing. I know that Pep Guardiola is grateful to him as well because it’s been Frank and Txiki who’ve been building the squad over the last few years. Finding someone to take over from Frank Rijkaard was really hard. He’d done a really good job and built a positive image for Barcelona. Pep has his own style but one that’s comparable with Frank’s, two different ways of doing things but both equally valid for managing Barça’s first team.

What does the chairman of FC Barcelona feel when everyone is talking about Barça academy players as being crucial for Pep Guardiola’s side?
It’s the greatest feeling of pride a Barça chairman can have. It’s come about because of a number of different reasons: because the academy works well, because there’s a coach who knows what’s going on and is brave enough to pick home-grown players, and thirdly because we have a technical secretary in Txiki Begiristain who’s put together a competitive squad. I’ve always thought that clubs which are committed to their academy players have a style of play which is taught in their academy and are also financially much more viable and sustainable. And what’s most important, it keeps the core of the club’s identity alive.

People are now talking about two new pillars in the club’s management: solidarity and internationalisation. Is this part of a new policy at Barça?
Barça evolves and has to adapt to a changing world. Barça has always been more than a club, but this concept needs to be updated and renewed. The model is good but it needs to evolve all the time. If you like, Barça was a Formula 1 car with three wheels, sports, economics and the social aspect. Now it’s a Formula 1 car with these three wheels and two more, namely solidarity and the internationalisation of the club.

The club has made a lot of progress in these two areas.
We’ve been pioneers in solidarity and charity work. We are fully aware of the club’s corporate social responsibility; we have to give back to society part of what society has given us, because that’s why we are who we are. And hence Barça is more than a club in the world. At UNICEF, for example, they’ve recently presented us as an example of what a football club can do to combat a devastating disease like AIDS. Barça has partnered programmes in Swaziland and now we’re in Angola. Plus with our XICS programme we’re also helping kids in Catalonia.

And also over the last few weeks there’s been the MÉS project...
This project is especially important to me. We’ve done it with Nike and the UNHCR to help kids who are in refugee camps because of natural disasters or wars. This line of ecological clothing that Nike makes and which is branded MÉS is sold in all Nike’s stores worldwide. MÉS is a Catalan word which means ‘more’ and comes out of the phrase “more than a club”, so I’m especially pleased because it’s a way of promoting our language and our country with a charity project.

When talking about the new project for the club you always mention Norman Foster’s new Camp Nou. Why is that?
I want Barça members and fans to come to see this as a social project, because we want a stadium that’s more comfortable and safer and therefore better for Barcelona members. We want the members to get a more intense Barça experience through the use of new technology. Then it’s a social project because it’s a city project.

Does Barça see globalisation as an opportunity to be bigger around the world?
We want to be global to be stronger. That means that globalisation has to be an opportunity for Barça. So we have strategies in place to promote Barça’s image all around the world, and especially in the US because we think that it is a very important country in which to promote Barça’s image. Over there we have programmes such as the summer tour, charity projects with Malaria No More and so on. Recently we’ve also put in a bid with some investors for a franchise in Miami to play in the US’s professional soccer league. Barça’s responsibility and challenge with this team will be to make it competitive and that’ll help to promote Barça’s image in the US.

Is Barça ready to face the crisis that the whole world is experiencing?
Yes, fortunately we are because we’ve take the necessary precautionary measures. Financially we’ve reached an agreement with Nike which is perhaps the best contract on the market, and we also have one with Mediapro for Barça’s broadcasting rights. These two contracts mean we can face up to this crisis with a sense of security as they give us a cushion. Plus we also paid off all our bank debt last October. I feel that only companies which have been able to reduce their debts will be able to get through this crisis with the peace of mind you need.

What’s your wish for club members in 2009?
I would say to them that they should enjoy the good times Barça is going through now. Football teaches you a lot of things, and one of them is that you have to make the most of the good times, albeit with caution and humility. I’d also urge them to help make sure that between us we can make this a great season for Barça. I wish them all a Happy New Year and long live Barça!




read the full interview here

Barcelona to play in LA, Seattle and Miami

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona will most probably prepare the 2009-2010 season for the third consecutive time by starting the pre-season in Scotland.

Like in 2003, 2006 and 2008, the team will then travel to the United States (read more here). In 2004, 2005 and 2007, Barcelona went on tour in Asia.

Asia was again an option, but because of the possible participation of a Barcelona franchise in the MLS, Barcelona would return to the United States next August.

While in the past years, Barcelona played games in Boston, Washington and Philadelpia (2003), in Los Angeles, Houston and New York (2006) and in Chicago and New York (2008), Barcelona would play in 2009 friendly games in Los Angeles, Seattle and Miami.

Read more:
Barcelona plans new US tour in 2009

Barcelona plans new US tour in 2009

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that the Barcelona board and the marketing departemnt of the club have decided that Barcelona will again travel to the United States next summer.

Although initially Barcelona seemed to have adopted the strategy of touring one summer in the US and the other in Asia, the team would now for the second consecutive time play some games in the United States.

With Barcelona last summer having played in Chicago and New York earlier this year, next summer Barcelona plans to play a game in Miami. Besides that, Barcelona would also want to play friendly matches in other cities.

By playing in Miami, Barcelona wants to promote the MLS franchise the club wants to set up and that could start playing in the American league MLS in 2010 or 2011. This also means that Barcelona could change its plans - and travel to Asia instead - in case the Barcelona bid is not accepted by the MLS.

Read more:
FCB Miami: A critical view on Barcelona's bid

Barcelona players show new outfit at training

Barcelona's first team trained today for the first time with the new MÉS outfit.

read more about the MÉS charity project here