You who were on your board, how do you feel when you hear that Bartomeu has been the worst president in the history of Barça?
I have never said it.
You would be surprised by the number of people who say it.
Let's see, his legacy needs time. If we value it now, we will stay with the last result, which is the debacle of debacles. But in May 2019 things were different.
Follow.
At Anfield we were very close to the treble. Not long ago of that and it did not seem difficult to achieve. We went 3-0 to Anfield, we had won LaLiga and we were in the Cup final against Valencia. Then Bartomeu was not a bad president and had already been in office for 5 years. We only stayed with the last year, which has been a horríbilis annus with 'Barçagate', the show with Xavi in Qatar, the dismissal of Ernesto, 2-8 and the attempt to leave Messi. And on top of it the pandemic. But that's not Bartomeu's fault. His legacy must be judged and he is not and will not be the worst of the presidents, but his end of term has been horrific and above with a vote of no confidence.
Didn't you consider it fair?
It is not a question of justice. He did not agree because there were elections called, but do you know why he won?
Why?
The partner could not express himself in the field. With the public we would have had banners, clothings, whistles, everything and more and the only way to be behind closed doors was the motion of censure. In the meeting they did not believe it but the people were outraged and had no other way to express themselves.
How do you rate the pre-campaign based on what you have seen so far, pizzas, tattoos and the Jordi Majó case included?
Many candidates competing in an environment that we have not experienced. That makes those of us who have no previous experience a bit puzzled on the issue of signatures.
What level of bewilderment?
I think we will pass the cut, but I can be wrong, I don't know if we know how to value such a complex environment, because everything has changed. There are no longer large venues, you cannot make massive movements. But in short, I see a lot of candidates.
When you say many, do you mean too many?
No. I was reading the other day the statements of another applicant in which he said that a guarantee would have to be provided to be a pre-candidate and I do not agree. You have to create wealth. Any candidate spends money, hires people, but this time there is a lot of volume.
Excuse me, but I see you with a spirit of little pre-candidate, with a lot of fair play. There is no candidate who says that he recognizes that he does not know if he will get the signatures and you are very realistic. Everyone in their place says that they will be presidents even if they know that they will not be even in paint.
I am confident that I will get them, but if you ask me how I value it, the environment is complicated. The impact of the pandemic is general. We want to continue with fair play. I know almost all of them because I tried to make a unit candidacy that did not come out.
Does the union attempt still stand, does it look for a third way joining with Freixa in the future?
If we talk about the third way, it is because of the dichotomy of interest by various journalistic groups so that the idea remains that there are only two pre-candidates with options. This in marketing is called top of mindTrying to make the partner perceive that there are only two valid candidates and that is silly. If there is talk of the third way, it is that there will be a third in contention, which I hope will be us. I don't see why this has to be a Font-Laporta.
They represent an opposition profile and it will be necessary to fill another space that will be that of continuity. Are you represented by Vialajoana, you or Freixa who have been in the last meetings?
I don't see it that way, our project has nothing to do with Freixa or Vilajoana. The personal profile does not have to do either. Laporta and Freixa, who are lawyers. Font and I are from ESADE. I am a businessman and they are lawyers. I did not agree with Freixa in a meeting, but I did with Vilajoana and the mood is very different.
In what sense?
I made the decision to leave the board for 'Barçagate' and personal dignity, he did not. I considered that the fundamental rights of the partners had been violated by hiding various items. He had another criterion. We do not agree on many things.
Tusquets said he was not clear about some bills, does it have something to do with his departure from the club?
No idea. Tusquets is a first-rate professional and if you don't see something clear, you don't want to compromise.
Nothing to do with what you saw?
It has nothing to do with it. I was part of a commission that awarded contracts based on a series of premises. The one of the 'Barçagate' was divided to avoid this organism. It was inadmissible
Did you rush to say someone had reached into the box?
It's that I didn't say this. I have come to the conclusion that the sports press surpasses me.
He did not say it to the sports press …
The sports press cut what I said on the radio. I said that if it is shown that a price higher than the market price has been paid, it could be said that someone has reached into the box. I said that since this contract has not passed the controls, I don't know. And that is a conditional. That is the press.
Very clear.
But I think it is a not very relevant issue and you have to turn the page because it is sub judiciary and the people who played it are not in the club. Let's look to the future.
Speaking of the future, they state in their program that they have the people closest to Messi to convince him to stay. Who are they?
I'm talking about Minguella. He brought Leo to the club. He went to Argentina and waited at six in the morning for his father to leave the factory to speak with him. It has a very good relationship with all its surroundings. That marks that we will have a good communication channel, it does not mean that as Minguella and Messi are, he will do what I tell him. There may or may not be an agreement.
What follows Messi is an economic or sports question?
Here what matters is the sports project. When Messi said he was leaving, he didn't say it for money. He has the highest salary in the world, there is no one who earns more than him. He does not leave because he charges little, he wants to leave because he wants to win titles. He already said it in his day: “it is not enough for us.” He wants a team with talent.
And the economic issue?
Clearly, in the current environment of the club, Messi's salary is not sustainable. It is unsustainable. An agreement must be reached. The project that we will present to you is attractive.
You say you want to name the stadium after Messi, isn't it against the option of naming rights?
On the contrary, tell any brand in the world to associate their name with Messi. In general, we dismissed the legends badly and now we have the most important. Note that here the partner has to accept it, you have to ask a question about Espai Barça and Messi needs to want it.
Is it difficult to remove the mark of continuity?
I would like the partner to know me better, the degree of knowledge towards me is low. When we moved the unitary candidacy we went to see Laporta and he told us that he did not want to join because he is the pear sailor. I am an entrepreneur who founded a company that has grown a lot and it would be nice if the partner saw that I am a serious businessman based in Catalonia. It does not facilitate that they know me that there are so many pre-candidates. There is a lot of noise and you have to break the idea that these elections are a matter of two.
Do you think that you are not associated with the last meeting?
In this sense, I have to thank Vilajoana very much for showing up because he is the continuist, who is the one who continues the work of the board to which he belonged. Our project is new and I was not on the board.
Why did you seek a unitary candidacy?
We moved this idea because there was an atypical situation. Laporta is wrong making an analogy with 2003. Here 300 million euros have vanished and the whole society is having a hard time. Nothing is comparable to the past. A unity government was an emergency measure, but it did not come out because one told you one thing and the other that the project was very advanced … and then it was not true
Does he say it for Font and the case of Jordi Majo?
If someone tells you that they have a team made and this happens to them… Majó also came to see us. Either you have the equipment done or chips to the first one that comes your way.
How do you think Barça will be on June 30, whether you win or not?
It will change a lot and it is important that the partner does not choose based on emotions only, but on rationality. We have a project to remake the team. Our philosophy is to rebuild the team to rebuild the economy and hence the club. That is why we will sign one of the best technical secretaries in the world and two megacracks that are coupled with the way we play and the young talent that we have.
What megacracks?
We have spoken with Neymar's environment and he made some statements that someone interpreted in the sense that he wanted Messi to go to Paris and no, Neymar wants to return to Barcelona as happened in the summer of 19. Now you cannot pay a transfer and it would be at the end of the contract.
Do you trust Neymar's environment. Don't they seem like the most serious people in the world?
We have a not very objective vision with Neymar. It cost between 57 and 80 million, which I have already lost and I am not going to discuss this issue, but we entered 222, which I have seen the check. We do not invest that money well. If we had done it, nobody would speak ill of Neymar, but we would congratulate ourselves on the fortune that the French left behind. It's like it happened with Milla and Guardiola. He left and nothing happened. Milla left and no one ever spoke of him. They forgot because the solution was at home.
But he has reported Barça.
The only condition to return is that you withdraw the lawsuits, that is a red line. The last Champions won was with him on the field, let's not forget.
But this is not solved in three months.
The commitment is in two years to be winning the League and being favorites for the Champions League.
But where will the starting point be, how this year ends?
Finishing in the top four is essential. It is not the objective, which must continue to be to win LaLiga and I see it as feasible because there is much left. Koeman is not a bad coach, but he has been very unlucky with injuries to very important players.
What role does Minguella play in your candidacy?
I want him on the board because he is one of the people who knows the most about football. Nobody doubts that. Now 79 years old, he has had a great impact on the club's history with great signings. It has had an impact on the history of the entity and has never been recognized. He is very excited. He does not do it for money, his life is solved but he seeks recognition from the Barcelonista social mass.
You speak of a panorama of drastic reduction of expenses.
Me and everyone.
But you were inside and saw the papers, or maybe not. In any case, how do you sign without money?
Perfectly. Without money, you can sign well as Pedri was signed. If you compare it to Trincão, the price and performance are not justified. This is the way. I reiterate that the two megacracks will come when the contract ends. We start from the premise that the Barça shirt carries a lot of weight. We are a global club and we have an audience all over the world and the players want to come to be in our showcase. We will give them an audience that they do not have and the players are managed like companies. They want that projection. Certainly we cannot pay transfer, but we can ask them to commit to come free.
One of your objectives was to sign Neymar, do you know how he is after yesterday's entry?
I know they have tested him. When there are talented players, there is manhunt. These players must be protected because if not, we will not see football.