Carles Ayats, a member of the candidacy of Barcelona presidential candidate Jaume Ferrer, gave an interview to Catalan sports paper El 9 Esportiu.You're one of the few new faces in this election race. When did your relationship with Jaume Ferrer start?
I'm a very big Barça fan and I met Jaume 4 or 5 years ago through mutual friends. I have always firmly believed that he would be the successor of Laporta. And when he made the step forward, I did not hesitate to offer him my help.
The leaders of the three main candidacies were part of that same board of 2003. What differentiates you from the other candidates?
I think we are the only ones that guarantee the continuation of a project that has given us great results. We have a project that works and it would now be very risky to change that. We have to wait for more details about the other candidates, but for us things are clear: we want a president who does not intervene in the sporting decisions, who lets the professionals shine and who keeps the current structure.
What do you think when other candidates, like Marc Ingla, are also claiming this model?
Ingla left the club and did not participate in the year in which the team achieved the biggest successes in the history of the club. When one needed to have the responsibility to hold on, he couldn't deal with the pressure.
You also talk about getting closer to the members...
Both the members as the fan clubs claim that the board would be closer to them, that the president participates in more events... In the case of the fan clubs, we are committed to put into practice their 'XXI century' project, that was proposed to us by their advisory council. The fan clubs ask for more self-management and we will look for a good deal for everyone.
What feelings do you have after the meetings with members and fan clubs?
We feel that the members are proud to belong to this club. Not only for the football team but also for the other sections, which are now at a very high level. The results and the management over the last seven years with great economic and sporting achievements support our claim.
What does it mean to have the explicit support of president Laporta?
We appreciate his support, but we had already set up our candidacy before that he pronounced. Our project has not changed at all after that.
Do you believe that Pep Guardiola will feel comfortable with your project?
As a professional, I'm sure he will not speak out, he's part of the club not of a candidacy. But the member is intelligent and knows that with us, Pep will certainly feel comfortable because he already knows us.
this was the first part of this interview. you can read the second part here.
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