Speaking at a press conference, Barcelona presidential candidate Santiago Salvat has said that former Barcelona presidential candidates Josep Maria Minguella [picture, on the left] and Jordi Medina [picture, second from the right] will become vice-presidents if he's elected as president on 13 June:
"Josep María Minguella will be our sports vice-president. Although he has a huge experience, he will not take any decision on his own, but always with the agreement of the coach. And Jordi Medina, who is one of the strongest people in this candidacy, would become the vice-president of the social area."
Barcelona presidential candidate Santiago Salvat followed the Sevilla-Barcelona league game on Saturday together with the Foment Martinenc fan club and several members of his candidacy, among which former presidential candidate Jordi Medina, in Barcelona.
Asked what his role will be if Barcelona presidential candidate Santiago Salvat is elected as president of FC Barcelona, Catalan lawyer and former presidential candidate Jordi Medina has said in an interview with Catalan local television station Teletaxi TV that he would become one of the vice-presidents:
"I'm part of the candidacy, I helped to organize it and just like other people who are supporting the candidate, I would become vice-president. That's clear. Why didn't I want to head the project myself? Because at this moment, I'm very busy in my job and running for president requires a lot of time and effort."
Catalan news site E-notícies claims that former Barcelona vice-presidents Joan Castells (2000-2002) and Marc Ingla (picture - 2003-2008) are holding talks trying to form a joint candidacy ahead of the presidential elections on 13 June.
The remaining problem would be that Castells only wants to join Ingla if he can lead the candidacy. Because of the same reason, the ex-director earlier rejected an offer by Barcelona assets vice-president Jaume Ferrer. Castells reportedly also didn't accept a proposal by former presidential candidates Josep Maria Minguella and Jordi Medina to be part of their project.
Castells would have told former collaborators about the negotiations with Ingla during a dinner on Monday. He and Ingla would shortly hold a meeting in which they would decide if they will in the end team up. If he doesn't get the support of the team of Ingla, Castells would not take part in the elections, although he could later publicly announce which candidate he prefers.
Joan Castells is the 57-year old chairman and chief executive of Spanish mutual insurance company Fiatc. In 2000, he was a pre-candidate in the elections for president of Barcelona but he ended up joining the candidacy of then vice-president Joan Gaspart.
After Gaspart won the elections, Castells was appointed as economic vice-president of the club. In December 2002, Castels resigned as first vice-president after Gaspart refused to call early elections. In the 2006 elections, Castells decided not to run and supported pre-candidate Jordi Medina.
Catalan sports paper sport RAC 1 claims that Santiago "Yago" Salvat will run for president of FC Barcelona in the upcoming elections. The news has meanwhile been confirmed by other media.
Salvat would head the list of the project that has been set up by former presidential candidates Josep Maria Minguella and Jordi Medina (read more here), who have both agreed with the appointment of Salvat as candidate.
A source of the candidacy told Spanish news agency EFE: "A few months ago we got to know each other and in the end he is very motivated and willing to do this. We will all give him our support and he will be presented to the public after the game against Inter next week."
Santiago Salvat, who is 38 years old and a club member for around 25 years and whose family founded in the 19th century the Salvat Editores publishing house in Barcelona, has several business activities, mostly related to marketing and consultancy.
Salvat is managing partner and marketing and financial director of pr and communication agency Pendulum, partner and member of the board of real estate consultant Bruch and owner and general manager of marketing agency Excelsior. Since this month, he is also a member of the board of directors of portfolio management company Interlaken.
Spanish news agency EFE claims that former Barcelona presidential candidates Josep Maria Minguella [picture, on the right] and Jordi Medina [picture, on the left] will in the coming days present their joint candidacy for the presidency of FC Barcelona. Both would have confirmed this to the news agency.
On Wednesday, the electoral council of the candidacy would meet to establish the calendar to follow in the coming weeks, with one of the main events being the presentation of the person who will in the end lead the candidacy.
The candidate of the project would be a 39-year old businessman from the communication sector, who has studied in the United States and who has family ties with a former board member of the club. The candidacy would appear in public in the coming week.
Sources of the Minguella-Medina project also told the news agency that former Barcelona player and coach Carles Rexach, who was considering to head a list himself (read more here), could in the end join this candidacy.
Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that the candidacy that is being set up by former Barcelona candidates Josep Maria Minguella [picture] and Jordi Medina will now definitely take part in the elections for president of FC Barcelona later this year.
The candidacy, that earlier contacted journalist Xavier Bosch (read more here) and lawyer Pau Molins (read more here), would now finally have found the person that will head the list. The presidential candidate would in the end be a 40-year old resident of Barcelona.
Minguella and Medina will reportedly officially present their project and the candidate the week after the Real Madrid-Barcelona game on Saturday 10 April. The main ideas of the candidacy will be explained as well as the intention that they won't attack anybody during the campaign.
Josep Maria Minguella, a 68-year old former player's agent who now mainly acts as a Barcelona pundit for a number of radio and television shows, took part in the 2003 elections, when he ended fifth with 1.867 votes (3,62%). The Catalan supported the 2008 vote of no confidence against the board.
Jordi Medina is a 45-year old Catalan lawyer who was a pre-candidate in the 2003 and 2006 elections but failed twice to collect enough signatures of club members to take part in the final vote. Medina is the chairman of 'Un Crit Valent', an FC Barcelona platform.
Spanish news agency Europa Press claims that Catalan lawyer Pablo 'Pau' Molins has rejected yesterday morning the offer to head the candidacy that is being set up by former Barcelona presidential candidates Josep Maria Minguella and Jordi Medina.
Molins is quoted as saying in a communiqué that, although he likes the idea of a 'third way', he declines the proposal because of professional and personal reasons that don't leave him enough time to campaign or to lead the club. Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that the criminal lawyer has nevertheless agreed to support the list.
Asked about the rumours linking Molins to his project, former player's agent Josep Maria Minguella has said in interviews with Catalan radio stations Catalunya Ràdio, first, and RAC 1 that he doesn't want to react to the latest news reports:
"Our group has made the decision that until the game against Real Madrid on 10 April we won't talk about or comment on any electoral issues. After that date, we will explain what we could do, who would be involved and so on, but for now we have decide not to talk anymore."
Although all media sources agree that Catalan lawyer Pau Molins [picture] has been offered to head the candidacy that is being set up by former Barcelona presidential candidates Josep Maria Minguella and Jordi Medina (read more here), there is uncertainty about his reaction to the proposal.
Spanish news agency Europa Press claims that sources close to Molins confirmed that the lawyer, who feels "very related to the club", is thinking about the offer and that he wants to take the time necessary to make the decision, which could be more than one week.
Catalan newspaper El Periódico claims that Molins, who would be very interested in the proposal, will decide in one or two weeks time. The offer would have been made to him last week during a meeting with Minguella and a group of club members.
Catalan news site E-notícies claims that Minguella, Medina and Molins had a dinner on Thursday 19 February. The answer would be expected for next week. If Molins accepts the offer, Minguella would become the sports vice-president of the list and Medina the social vice-president.
A source close to the Minguella-Medina project confirmed yesterday evening to this blog that there has indeed been an offer but that Molins didn't yet give a final answer. We were also told that, contrary to previous news reports (read more here), Catalan businessman Jordi Roche, the former president of the Catalan football federation, would not be part of this project.
Spanish news agency EFE claims that it looks like the deal with Molins won't go through - despite a source of the project being quoted as saying that the lawyer would be "a very valid" candidate - because Molins wouldn't be able to combine the campaign with his job. His defense of Catalan business man Fèlix Millet in a major corruption scandal (read more here) could also play a role: "That wouldn't be positive publicity in case he would be our candidate."
The group would now keep on working to find a candidate and announce a name in the next two to three weeks, with the source explaining: "The offer to Molins doesn't mean that we already have a clear idea, because we still have to assess a lot of things, not only about the candidate but also about the rest of the team.
I want to make clear that we are not selling the leadership of our group by auction. We are just talking with a lot of people and, for whatever reason, the names of two [the other being that of catalan journalist xavier bosch] of the many members we have considered have been leaked to the public."
Catalan sports paper El 9 Esportiu claims that Molins already rejected the offer to lead the candidacy because of professional reasons – the Millet case and the opening of a new office in Madrid - but that he did accept to be part of the list. The group would continue to search for a prestigious consensus figure to become the candidate.
Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Molins has already rejected the offer and that Medina and Minguella continue to look for a candidate that has never before been directly involved in an election process, although it's not excluded that one of the two would in the end be the candidate. The final list should be ready in April.
Medina is quoted by the paper as saying: "We want to assemble a project that could be a third way between laportas and anti-laportistas and that unites the Barcelona fans. That's why the choice of the candidate isn't a fight and won't turn into an auction. We're not in a hurry, there's a lot of pre-campaign and campaign left and we don't want to take part in the battles."
Catalan television channel TV3 claims that the candidacy former Barcelona presidential candidates Josep Maria Minguella and Jordi Medina have been working on continues to look for a popular person who could lead the project (read more here).
The group of Minguella and Medina would now have offered 47-year old Catalan criminal lawyer Pau Molins (picture) to head the list, although no final decision has yet been made.
Pau Molins is at this moment widely known for his defense of Catalan businessman and former Barcelona director Fèlix Millet in a major corruption scandal (read more here). His brother, businessman and politician Joaquim Molins, has in the past reportedly also been offered to lead a candidacy, ahead of the 1997 elections.
Asked about his role in the upcoming elections, twice presidential pre-candidate Jordi Medina has said in an interview with Catalan radio station RAC 1 that he keeps on working trying to form a candidacy: "We're working on a project, but it's not yet sure it will lead to an actual candidacy.
Because of a communication problem with another member of the project, Jordi Majó, who could have been one of the leading figures, prefers not to keep on investing time and effort in it. Josep Maria Minguella, myself and other people continue to work hard.
We don't know who will lead the candidacy. It could be Josep Maria, myself or none of the two. That is something we're discussing, analyzing and if we can launch this project, the candidate will be the one we agree on to be the most suited person.
We have been talking with many people, also from outside our group. Some are still considering it, some have rejected the offer for personal reasons - something we understand - and with others we're still talking.
Xavier Bosch? That has been published, so I can now confirm that we have been talking with him but because of his professional situation it wasn't possible. Charly Rexach? I didn't talk with Charly personally, but I know there have been some meetings and dinners that I didn't attend. He has the profile of a good candidate but I don't have more information on that.
It's true that we plan to come out as late as possible because we first want to work hard, prepare the program, not reveal anything. We could start thinking about a calendar when the final decision to take part has been made but nothing will be organized or announced before the month of April."
Catalan sports paper Sport reports that former presidential candidate Jordi Majó (picture, on the left) will not join a presidential candidacy that would include, among other people, former presidential candidates Josep Maria Minguella (picture, on the right) and Jordi Medina (read more here).
The group of people would have been holding contacts for a while trying to form a candidacy. The idea is said to have been that the three former candidates would become vice-presidents and that they would offer another person to lead the project.
Catalan journalist Xavier Bosch was reportedly the first to reject the offer to head the candidacy because of personal reasons (read more here) and later contacts that were started with two former players also didn't yet lead to concrete results.
Majó would now have finally decided not to take part in the candidacy because he don't believe any longer in the project, and would yesterday have informed his entourage about his decision. The Catalan businessman confirmed the news to the paper:
"I have spoken with pre-candidates and potential pre-candidates and if I now reveal the project with Minguella that is because he has been the first to disclose it publicly. I would have preferred that it wouldn't come to light, as this forces me to take a position and I have decided not to continue.
I maintain a good personal relationship with Josep Maria, but there are differences of opinion and I do not feel comfortable in a candidacy that advances in a way that doesn't convince me. I think my decision is the most honest thing I can do."
The two main Catalan sports papers, Sport and El Mundo Deportivo, claim today that former Barcelona first vice-president Joan Castells is considering to run for president of FC Barcelona in the elections that will be held in June of this year.
Castells, who reportedly has been closely following the events surrounding the club over the last years as well as the pre-election movements, would yesterday evening have held a dinner with several team members of his 2000 candidacy and a group of other Barcelona fans, who are trying to convince him to take part in the elections, to discuss the situation.
Joan Castells is the 57-year old chairman and chief executive of Spanish mutual insurance company Fiatc. In 2000, he was a pre-candidate in the elections for president of Barcelona but he ended up joining the candidacy of then vice-president Joan Gaspart.
After Gaspart won the elections, Castells was appointed as economic vice-president of the club. In December 2002, Castels resigned as first vice-president after Gaspart refused to call early elections. In the 2006 elections, Castells decided not to run and supported pre-candidate Jordi Medina.
Catalan sports paper El 9 Esportiu claims that former presidential candidates Jordi Majó, Jordi Medina and Josep Maria Minguella (picture, from left to right) are continuing to hold talks trying to form a joint candidacy and take part in the elections for president of FC Barcelona in June (read more here).
All three the former candidates would be willing to team up but no final decision has yet been made. After the Barcelona board decided to only hold the elections after the end of the season, on 13 June, Majó, Minguella and Medina would not be in a hurry to take a stand on their participation in the elections.
Jordi Majó is a 60-year old agricultural businessman who finished third, out of six candidates, in the 2003 elections. Behind Joan Laporta and Lluís Bassat, Majó obtained 2.490 votes (4,82%). In 2006, he considered to be a candidate but he ended up giving his support to Jaume Guixà.
Josep Maria Minguella, a 68-year old former player's agent who now mainly acts as a Barcelona pundit for a number of radio and television shows, took part in the 2003 elections, when he ended fifth with 1.867 votes (3,62%). The Catalan supported the 2008 vote of no confidence against the board.
Jordi Medina is a 45-year old Catalan lawyer who was a pre-candidate in the 2003 and 2006 elections but failed twice to collect enough signatures of club members to take part in the final vote. Medina is the chairman of 'Un Crit Valent', an FC Barcelona platform.
Asked what his role will be in the upcoming presidential elections, former presidential candidate Jordi Medina confirmed last week in an interview with Catalan radio station Rac 1 that he is holding talks trying to form a candidacy ahead of the elections in June:
"We're motivated, we're excited, we have a project, we are talking with several people of the entourage of the club to see if we can link up. The moment will come when we will have to go public and I'm hopeful that we will be able to present a solid project that can be attractive."
Medina elaborated on the plans in an interview with Catalan radio station COM Ràdio on Monday: "We are working on a project and the moment will come when we will have to take a decision and make it public. We hope to make it work and to present an attractive project that the Barcelona fans will like.
Rexach and Minguella are involved? Personally I didn't meet with Charly. I know there have been some reports but I don't know where those were coming from. But it's true that we have been talking with Barcelona people, among which of course Josep Maria Minguella, a close friend of mine, but also others.
We have met, we have talked, but nothing has been decided. I shouldn't necesarily lead a possible candidacy. In all honesty, I have a lot of work and I don't have much time, which would make it difficult for me to head a candidacy. But so I'm working to help to form a list, although we're not in a hurry."
Jordi Medina is a 45-year old Catalan lawyer who was a pre-candidate in the 2003 and 2006 elections but failed twice to collect enough signatures of club members to take part in the final vote. Medina is the chairman of 'Un Crit Valent', an FC Barcelona platform.
Asked if he will take part in the elections for president of FC Barcelona (read more here), former players' agent Josep Maria Minguella has confirmed in an interview with Catalan radio station RAC 1 that he is holding talks with other potential candidates to form a united list:
"I won't deny that there have been talks, with people like Jordi Medina, Jordi Majò and others who would want to get involved. The key to go on with this project would be that we feel we can add important things to Barça.
We also want to avoid a division between 'laportistas' and 'anti-laportistas' like before you had the division between 'nunistas' and 'cruyffistas'. While I'm just a fan of Barça and I think there are many people like that who are looking for a third option and that's what we have been analizing for a while now.
We didn't yet make a decision, but we're talking and now that the elections will be held on 13 June, we really have more time and more peace. All those involved are people with a certain economic and social level and big Barcelona supporters, so if we would form a candidacy, I'm sure we would be able to contribute a lot of things."
Josep Maria Minguella, who now mainly acts as a Barcelona pundit for a number of radio and television shows, took part in the 2003 elections, when he ended fifth (out of six contenders) with 1.867 votes (3,62%). The Catalan supported the 2008 vote of no confidence against the board.
Catalan online sports paper Yoya claims that former Barcelona player and manager Carles "Charly" Rexach will not run for president in the upcoming elections later this year.
It was rumoured that a group of club members had offered Rexach to be the "face" of their candidacy (read more here), but Jordi Medina, who was a presidential pre-candidate in 2003 and 2006 and is now one of the people behind the group (together with former candidates Josep Maria Minguella and Jordi Majó, and surgeon Miquell Llobet), would have denied that Rexach will join their project.
Sources close to the above-mentioned group meanwhile confirmed to this blog that Rexach was in the beginning a possible candidate for them, but that they are at this moment looking for another person to lead the project. Rexach could nevertheless still be part of the candidacy.
Madrid sports tabloid As confirms that former Barcelona player and manager Carles "Charly" Rexach (63) has been offered by a group of Barcelona fans to head a candidacy in the presidential elections later this year (read more here).
The mentioned group would, among others, consist of Jordi Roche (former president of the Catalan football federation – read more here), Jordi Medina (pre-candidate in the elections in 2003 and 2006 – read more here), Josep Maria Minguella (candidate in the elections in 2003 – read more here) and Miquel Llobet, a famous Catalan orthopedic surgeon.
The idea is that Rexach would be the "face" of the candidacy and that he would be assisted by qualified professionals in areas like finances and marketing. The whole project should be finalized by the end of this month, so that the team would be ready in case the elections are called.
Catalan sports paper El 9 Esportiu claims that 'Un Crit Valent', an FC Barcelona platform led by Jordi Medina, has decided to take part in this year's elections for president of FC Barcelona.
Medina is a 45-year old Catalan lawyer who was a pre-candidate in the 2003 and 2006 elections but failed twice to collect enough signatures of club members.
After analysing the situation and having been contacted by other groups who have the intention to participate in the elections, 'Un Crit Valent' thinks the best option is to join forces with others and present one common project.
At this moment, negotiations would be ongoing to finialize the program and to decide who will be the main people in the candidacy. It wouldn't be excluded that they will try to attract a candidate who is at this moment not yet linked with any of the groups involved.
Although 'Un Crit Valent' is reported to keep the option open to take part in the elections on their own, the talks would be well-advanced and there wouldn't be any more major obstacles that could block a deal. Nothing has yet been made public because the people involved would think this is not yet the right time to come out.
Catalan radio station RAC 1 claims that Jordi Medina could team up with two candidates in the 2003 elections: former player's agent Josep Maria Minguella and agricultural businessman Jordi Majó.
A source of the club's entourage consulted by this blog has said that a deal between Medina and Majó is unlikely after the latter gave his support to Jaume Guixà and not to Medina in the 2006 elections.
Speaking at a press conference, Barcelona presidential candidate Santiago Salvat has said that former Barcelona presidential candidates Josep Maria Minguella [picture, on the left] and Jordi Medina [picture, second from the right] will become vice-presidents if he's elected as president on 13 June:
