Who will be the next president of FC Barcelona?

In May or June next year, Barcelona's club members will appoint a new president. After two terms, current president Joan Laporta cannot run again. Who are the candidates to succeed him?


1. The continuity candidate
The current Barcelona board wants to put forward one candidate who should continue the current project. In recent weeks and months, this seemed to have become a struggle between marketing vice-president Jaume Ferrer and recently appointed board member Xavier Sala i Martín.

While Sala, a professor of economics at Columbia University in New York, would have the support of president Laporta, Ferrer would be backed by the majority of the board members. First vice-president Alfons Godall, who first had said that he would not run, has put himself back on the map in two interviews earlier this week and could become the consensus candidate. A decision is expected to be made in December or January.

2. Sandro Rosell (former sports vice-president, board member 2003-2005) (picture)
Rosell is until this moment the only one who has publicly announced - in the summer of 2008 - that he will run for president. He has started to prepare for the elections shortly after he resigned as vice-president in 2005.

Rosell has long been seen as the favourite to become the next president although this could have changed because of last season's sporting succeses of the team. Rosell is seen as the architect of the team around Brazilian player Ronaldinho that won two league titles and one Champions League under coach Frank Rijkaard.

3. Ferran Soriano (former economic vice-president, board member 2003-2008)
Until he stepped down together with several other board members last summer, Soriano was considered to be the most likely "board candidate" for the elections. Soriano is seen as the architect of the current healthier financial situation of the club, compared to the situation when Laporta took office back in 2003. Because of his new job as chairman of airline company Spanair it has become uncertain if Soriano will run.

4. The Others
Several other names of people from the "entorn", the club's entourage, are rumoured to try to set up a candidature. Former presidental candidates like Jordi Majó, Josep Maria Minguella or Jaume Llauradó could again make an attempt, although none of them are expected to have a serious chance and they might try to link up with one of the main candidates trying to get a place in the board.

(vaguely based on an article in Catalan sports paper Sport)

Stoichkov: "They should build a monument for Eto'o"

Mamelodi Sundowns manager and former Barcelona player Hristo Stoichkov gave an interview to Catalan sports paper Sport.



How do you see Barça?
Oh dear! Barça is unique in world football. They are at their own level. I saw the Champions League draw and the 'Barça vs Inter' debate is senseless. Mourinho is a great coach and has a great team but he knows Barça is better. Can they loose a game against Inter? Of course, but if I had to put my money on one team, I would put it on Barça.

What about Eto'o returning to the Camp Nou? Ibra or Eto'o?
The press always seems to want to make comparisons. Eto'o has given so many things to Barça that they should build a monument for him. If Ibra now plays well and also give trophies to the culés, well that would be another monument... But let's not take credit away from the one who's not there anymore just to be able to talk positively about the new one. And we shouldn't ask Ibrahimovic to score two goals each game either. He should be given time to adapt to the system, the team-mates, the club, the city...

Another treble is possible?
I would like it but people from the world of football know how difficult it is. I was part of one of the best teams in the history of Barcelona and we didn't win one treble. Now they've already won the two super cups. This team has a winning spirit, a good mentality, with good players, a good coach, but...

But?
...football is no mathematics and two and two is not four. If that was the case, Real Madrid would be the next champion. With all that money, all those names, with so many cracks, that's the end of it, period, you shouldn't have to play any more competitions. But it's not like that, so we shouldn't put even more pressure on the team nor expect that Barça will again win everything just like that.

So we shouldn't worry about Real Madrid?
Yes, you should worry, but you shouldn't get obsessed. We have to continue with our own thing because if we keep the same line, it will be difficult for the galaxy to beat us. Ronaldo, Kaká, Benzema are great but Messi, Xavi and Iniesta are better. Right?

I guess so, yes. When do you return to Catalonia?
I won't be able to leave South Africa until Christmas. But I'm already looking forward to it!

What about returning to Barça?
I also would want that! I didn't have the chance so far but you never know what can happen in the future. I would like to and if it would be possible, fantastic, but if not, we continue with other things. Being inside or outside the club, I'm a Barça fan.

What do you think about the transfer of Chygrynskiy?
Great. Guardiola proves that he has courage because it's very easy to sign Ibra but it's more complicated with a Ukrainian boy of 22 years old, not known by many people. I congratulate Pep for the chance he's giving Dimitro.

What would you advise him?
His story reminds me my own. I also arrived in Barcelona being very young but with a lot of desire to conquer the world. He's from the East, which means he has character and I am sure he will succeed. I would advise him that he opens his eyes, listens and works.

Read more:
Ex-Barça: Stoichkov to Mamelodi Sundowns
Iniesta thinks Eto'o deserves a statue

Medical: Iniesta and Marquez ready for next game

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo reports that Barcelona players Rafael Márquez (30) and Andrés Iniesta (25) will get the green light by the medical staff next week and will that way be available for Barcelona's next match, the league game against Getafe.

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Iniesta could play some minutes as substitute in the Getafe game and depending on how he feels after that, the Spanish midfielder could start the Champions League game against Inter Milan on 16 September.

Márquez suffered a fibre rupture in his left calf, the lower backpart of the leg, during a training session in the United States on Wednesday 5 August and was then expected to be out for ten to fifteen days.

Iniesta tore a quadriceps muscle on the front of his right thigh during the league game against Villarreal on Sunday 10 May and although he played the Champions League final against Manchester United on Wednesday 27 May, he has never fully recovered from that injury. On Friday 5 June, the medical staff of the Spanish football federation confirmed that the player has torn a muscle in his thigh and he was then expected to be out for the next six to eight weeks.

Read more:
Medical: Marquez and Iniesta to miss Super Cups
Medical: Maxwell training normally
Medical: Possible knee injury for Ibrahimovic

Barcelona top club that uses most youth players

(click image to enlarge)

Catalan sports paper Sport checked how many home-grown players the European top clubs used during their last league games.

Barcelona 7 (Valdés, Puyol, Piqué, Busquets, Xavi, Pedro, Bojan)

Manchester United 3 (Brown, Fletcher, Giggs)
Chelsea 1 (Terry)
Liverpool 2 (Carragher, Gerrard)
Arsenal 0
Inter Milan 0
AC Milan 0

Juventus 2 (De Ceglie, Marchisio)
Bayern Munich 1 (Müller)
Olympique Lyon 0
Real Madrid 3 (Casillas, Arbeloa, Raúl)
Sevilla 1 (Navas)
Atlético Madrid 1 (López)

Barcelona has option to buy Xavi Torres back

Speaking to Catalan sports paper Sport, Málaga defensive midfielder Xavi Torres (22), who played last season with Barcelona Atlètic, has revealed that Barcelona has an option to buy him back:

"What a debut it was. My first official game with Málaga, we defeat Atlético 3-0 and I score a goal.

And I could have scored another won with a volley in the first half. Of course I'm happy, what do you think... Although I'm keeping my feet on the ground. I have always believed in my qualities but I honestly didn't expect I would start on Saturday. My former team-mates called to congratulate me. Pedrito was the first one.

To play at Barça is incredible, something no player expects. I wished it could have been possible, but I wanted to start in the first division. It was a joint decision between Guardiola and myself, but there's a buy back option for three million euros and for Barça, three millions is nothing."

Read more:
Barça B - Official: Xavi Torres to Malaga


Watch Xavi Torres scoring the third goal against Atlético Madrid in his debut with Málaga on Saturday:

Which B team player could be promoted?

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that four Barcelona Atlètic players could still be promoted to the first team this season.

They are central defenders Marc Muniesa (17) and Andreu Fontàs (19 - picture) and attacking midfielders Jonathan dos Santos (19) and Thiago Alcántara (18).

Although it first was generally believed that one of the two centre-backs would move up, this could now change because of the transfer of Ukrainian central defender Dmytro Chygrynskiy and the good performances of Jonatan and Thiago over the past weeks.

Read more:
Muniesa and Fontas could be promoted
Jonathan hopes to be promoted to first team
Jeffren promoted to first team

Gudjohnsen to join Monaco on Monday

French sports paper L'Equipe claims that everything indicates that Barcelona attacker and Iceland international Eidur Gudjohnsen (30) will join French first division club AS Monaco on Monday (read more here).

Monaco would have offered the player a two-year contract worth 3 million euros a year, which would have been accepted by Gudjohnsen who doesn't want to spend another season on the bench.

Catalan sports paper Sport confirms that a deal is on the verge of being closed after both clubs met on Friday in Monaco.

Barcelona and Monaco would have reached a total agreement. Gudjohnsen would join the Monegasque club for free but Barcelona could get two million euros° in incentives depending on the performances of the player and the team in the future.

Gudjohnsen, whose contract expires next summer and who would have understood that Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola doesn't count on him for next season, would now be negotiating his salary with Monaco, that reportedly offered him 3 million euros gross a year, one million euro less than his current wages.

[Update:] Sport claims that Gudjohnsen did not train today but that he negotiated his exit in the Camp Nou offices. The club and the player would in the end have found a deal. The Icelandic would undergo tomorrow medical tests in Monaco before signing a two-year deal. Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo that Gudjohnsen will join Monaco for two seasons with an option for a third year. Barcelona's official website has meanwhile confirmed that Gudjohnsen didn't train today because of a possible transfer.

Read more:
Last-minute Manchester City bid for Gudjohnsen
Free transfer of Gudjohnsen to Monaco close

Henrique loan to Racing to be announced today

Several Spanish and Catalan media claim that the loan of Barcelona central defender Henrique Adriano Buss (22) to Racing Santander will be officially announced today, or at the latest tomorrow (read more here).

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Henrique has accepted the offer of Racing Santander after it became clear that he would not have a lot of playing time at Barcelona this season. Racing would pay 95 per cent of the salary of the Brazilian centre-back, with Barcelona paying some of the contract variables.

Read more:
Deal on loan Henrique to Racing Santander

Last-minute Manchester City bid for Gudjohnsen

British tabloid The Sunday Mirror claims that Manchester City has tried to sign Barcelona attacker and Iceland international Eidur Gudjohnsen (30) earlier this week.

The English Premier League club reportedly moved for Gudjohnsen three days ago but the player would have rejected the bid because he would be be in advanced negotiations with French league club AS Monaco.

Three other English clubs, namely Portsmouth, West Ham United and Stoke City are also believed to have tried to sign Gudjohnsen, who would nevertheless already have agreed to join Monaco before the summer transfer market ends tomorrow (read more here).

Read more:
Free transfer of Gudjohnsen to Monaco close
Gudjohnsen does not want to leave
West Ham finalising Gudjohnsen loan

Chygrynskiy will probably be the last transfer

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that the possible transfer of Shakhtar centre-back Chygrynskiy will be the last incoming transfer of the summer.

Despite the fact that there could still be some pieces missing - namely a right back, an attacking midfielder and a left winger - the club would close the transfer window.

Catalan sports paper Sport nevertheless claims that there might be bought another player, depending on the chances offered by the market during the last days of the August. Catalan sports paper El 9 Esportiu reports that Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain plans to postpone further transfer activity until the winter transfer window next January (read more here).

Read more:
Guardiola asks for one or two more transfers
Transfer summer 2009: Overview

Medical: Will Iniesta take part in Super Cup?

The two main Catalan sports paper cannot agree today on when Barcelona player Andrés Iniesta (25) will reappear on the pitch.

Sport claims that Iniesta will get the green light of Barcelona's medical staff tomorrow and could be part of the match squad for the Super Cup game against Shakhtar Donetsk on friday.

El Mundo Deportivo on the other hand claims that, although Iniesta will get the green light soon, Barcelona manager josep Guardiola doesn't want to take any risk. Iniesta would therefore miss the Shakhtar game and maybe also the first league game against Sporting Gijón next Monday, in which he nevertheless might play some minutes.

Iniesta tore a quadriceps muscle on the front of his right thigh during the league game against Villarreal on Sunday 10 May and although he played the Champions League final against Manchester United on Wednesday 27 May, he has never fully recovered from that injury. On Friday 5 June, the medical staff of the Spanish football federation confirmed that the player has torn a muscle in his thigh and he was then expected to be out for the next six to eight weeks.

Read more:
Medical: Marquez and Iniesta to miss Super Cups
Medical: Milito could join group in October

Details of Chygrynskiy contract revealed

Sport reports that it has uncovered the details of the contract between FC Barcelona and Ukrainian defender Dmytro Chygrynskiy.

According to the paper, Chygrynskiy will be paid 1.2 million euros net per year during the first year of the five year contract. His salary will go up year by year and he is set to make 2 million euros in 2013-2014, the final year of contract.

This represents a significant pay cut from Chygrynskiy's deal with Shakhtar Donetsk, where he reportedly makes 3 million euros per year. The defender's willingness to take such a pay cut demonstrates his desire to play football at the highest level with Barcelona. All that is left is for the two teams to hammer out the final details of the transfer deal, tentatively agreed-upon at 25 million euros.

Read more:
Guardiola: I want Chygrynskiy
Chygrynskiy on his way

Bojan to miss six games due to u-21 world cup

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona forward Bojan Krkic (18) will most probably be called-up for the World Cup Under-21, that will be played in Egypt from 24 September until 16 october.

If he is selected, Bojan will miss the league games against Atlético Madrid, Racing Santander, Málaga and Almería, and the two first games of the Champions League group stage.

Read more:
Advertisement of the day: Bojan
Bojan scored illegal goal

Contract of Jorquera rescinded

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that the contract of Barcelona goalkeeper Albert Jorquera (30) has been rescinded earlier today.

Jorquera wouldn't have taken part in this afternoon's training session but together with his agent, he reportedly met with Barcelona officals at the club's offices to discuss his exit.

Because he won't have playing minutes this season and as a reward for his services to the club, Barcelona would have agreed to let Jorquera leave for free because that way it will be easier for the goalkeeper, whose contract expires next year, to find a new club. Spanish second division club Girona would at this moment be the most interested team.

update: Girona has this evening officially confirmed that they are talking with Jorquera, that the contract of the Catalan goalkeeper with Barcelona has been rescinded and that the negotiations between Jorquera and Girona are well-advanced. Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that only the paper work is left and that Jorquera could join Girona in the coming hours.

Read more:
Jorquera could leave for free

Jorquera could leave for free

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain will soon meet with Arturo Canales, the agent of Barcelona goalkeeper Albert Jorquera (30), to discuss the future of the player.

The Catalan goalkeeper can leave this summer and despite several Spanish first and second division clubs, among which Mallorca, Tenerife and Cádiz, having shown interest in Jorquera, his salary of 1 million euros a year would be an obstacle for a transfer.

Catalan sports paper Sport reports that Spanish second division club Girona is the last club to have asked for Jorquera, whose contract expires in the summer of 2010.

El Mundo Deportivo claims that in case it wouldn't be possible for Jorquera to leave on a permanent or even a loan deal, Barcelona would be willing to pay the player the rest of his contract and to let him go for free. The whole operation could be agreed upon during an upcoming meeting with Canales, a representative of sports marketing agency IMG.

Read more:
Jorquera doesn't plan to leave
Barcelona's wage structure
Jorquera offered himself to Cadiz

Jeffren will stay at least until January

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona Atlètic wing attacker Jeffren Suárez (21) will not leave the club this summer.

Despite the interest of Spanish first division club Racing Santander (read more here), the coaching staff would have decided that Jeffren will stay with Barcelona at least until the month of January.

Read more:
Santander contacts Barcelona and Jeffren on loan
Barca seeks new homes for unwanted players
Jeffren waiting for Barcelona decision on future

Puyol could leave Barcelona next summer

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona central defender and Spanish international Carles Puyol (31) is postponing the decision on the renewal of his contract.

Barcelona would have offered Puyol, whose contract expires at the end of this season, a renewal for two more years, keeping more or less the same salary.

The Catalan player is at this moment nevertheless not willing to accept the offer and has reportedly informed Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain about his decision.

Puyol would want to wait and see what will happen this season. Also because of Guardiola insisting to sign Chygrynskiy, the defender feels that he could be losing importance in the squad. Puyol wants to keep on being a key player on the pitch and depending on the events this season, he will later decide if he wants to continue at the club.

Read more:
Two-year extension offer for Puyol
Renewals for Puyol, Marquez, Iniesta and Messi
Puyol calm about contract renewal

Talks with West Ham on Gudjohnsen continue

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona and West Ham United are holding talks about a transfer of Barcelona attacker and Iceland international Eidur Gudjohnsen (30).

Because the English Premier League club doesn't have the funds to buy Gudjohnsen, they have asked to loan the player next season (read more here) and both clubs would now have to reach an agreement on who will pay which part of the salary.

If Barcelona nevertheless doesn't sign another midfielder this summer, Gudjohnsen, whose contract expires at the end of this season, could in the end stay with Barcelona.


Read more:
West Ham cannot afford Gudjohnsen
Gudjohnsen still didn't make decision on future
West Ham coach trying to convince Gudjohnsen

Guardiola rejects to sign Rafinha and Mongongu

Catalan sports paper El 9 Esportiu claims that Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola has rejected the transfers of AS Monaco central defender and Congo international Cédric Mongongu (20 - picture) and Schalke 04 right back defender Rafinha (23).

Both players reportedly had been put forward by the club earlier this week as alternatives for the transfer of Shakhtar centre-back Chygrynskiy. After the rejection by Guardiola, Barcelona would have decided to make a new attempt for the Ukrainian defender.

Catalan sports paper Sport and El Mundo Deportivo both confirm that Chygrynskiy is the only defender Guardiola wants to sign before the end of the summer transfer window. If that transfer would not be possible, the Catalan coach would prefer to give the youth players a chance.

Madrid sports tabloid As claims that Rafinha was offered to Barcelona by Brazilian sports marketing agency Traffic through players' agents Marcos and Naor Malaquías. Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain would have been in favour of the option to sign the Brazilian right back.

Read more:
Bid for Schalke right back Rafinha
New contacts with Shakhtar on Chygrynskiy
Three central defenders offered to Barcelona

New contacts with Shakhtar on Chygrynskiy

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona has started yesterday the club's final attempt to sign Shakhtar Donetsk defender and Ukrainian international Dmytro Chygrynskiy (22).

New telephone contacts between Barcelona, Shakhtar and the entourage of the player would have taken place but didn't change a lot. The Ukrainian club would nevertheless not be willing to change its position and would still be asking a transfer fee of 30 million euros°.

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Shaktar would be ready to drop the asking price to 25 million euros° if that sum is paid immediately. Barcelona could make such a bid when delegations of both clubs will meet in Monaco later this week ahead of the European super cup. Chygrynskiy, who would have told people of his entourage in the past days that he would like to join Barcelona, would be offered a contract of four to five years.

Asked about the new rumours about a transfer to Barcelona, Chygrynskiy said yesterday at a press conference that the reports don't affect him: "I don't think about it. Everything is clear to me. I have a fresh head, I feel good and I'm preparing for the games to come."

Read more:
Ultimate attempt to sign Chygrynskiy
Chygrynskiy accepts that he will not leave