Plaza will return blank ballot paper

Asked by this blog who he will vote for in the elections for president of FC Barcelona on Sunday, former Barcelona presidential pre-candidate Alexis Plaza, who didn't pass the signatures' cut, has said he won't give his vote to any of the four candidates:

"As far as I see it: whoever wins, everything will stay the same. We were the only real alternative for what happened over the past eight years. I also don't consider it to be ethical to use my position to favour another candidate.

I will of course go to the Camp Nou on Sunday to vote, but I will return a blank ballot paper. Said that, I can assure that no matter who will be elected as president, he will have my support until the end."

Read more:
Plaza: "I hope to run again in 2022"
The final number of signatures of support
Plaza rejects offer to sell signatures

The final number of signatures of support

These are the final numbers of signatures of club members that were collected by the pre-candidates in the elections for president of FC Barcelona:

Sandro Rosell 13.618
Marc Ingla 4.744
Jaume Ferrer 4.442
Agustí Benedito 2.896
Jaume Guixà 1.845
Alexis Plaza 1.209
Santiago Salvat ?

The signatures of the four pre-candidates with the most support among club members were brought to the club and will be checked in the coming days. To pass the cut of the signatures and to be able to take part in the final vote on 13 June, candidates should have 2.095 validated signatures.

Alexis Plaza didn't present his signatures but brought them to a notary who counted and destroyed them. Jaume Guixà and Santiago Salvat didn't present their signatures eiter. Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Salvat in the end would have collected around 1.100 signatures.

Read more:
Live Coverage: End of signatures process

Live Coverage: End of signatures process

We will follow live the last hours of the process of the collection of the club members and explain what has happened today. Candidates should have 2.095 validated signatures to take part in the final vote. The deadline is at 9 pm tonight. Re-fresh!

The first candidate to come out today was Sandro Rosell. At 12:30 pm he gave a press conference in which he explained that he until that moment had collected 13.491 signatures.

7:00 pm Jaume Ferrer and members of his candidacy walking to the offices of the Camp Nou with the boxes containing the signatures. Ferrer confirmed this afternoon that he has collected 4.422 signatures.

7:20 pm Sandro Rosell is on his way to the Camp Nou with his whole board team in six cars. The candidacy would in the end have collected 13.603 signatures.

7:30 pm Sandro Rosell has arrived at the Camp Nou with the boxes with in the end 13.618 signatures. The candidate is in the centre of the picture, at the left is Jordi Cardoner, who will become social vice-president if Rosell is elected as president.

7:40 pm The candidacy of Marc Ingla announces that they have collected 4.756 signatures. The former vice-president is on his way to the Camp Nou.

8:00 pm This afternoon, Alexis Plaza has announced that his candidacy has collected 1.209 signatures, that have already been destroyed by a notary so they won't affect the signatures of the other candidates nor canbe used in the future. Around 6 pm, Plaza came to the Camp Nou to formally step out of the race.

8:30 pm The board team of Marc Ingla arrives with in the end 4.744 signatures. At the left of Ingla there's Victor Font, at the right Carme Miró, behind him Ferran Soriano and Albert Vicens.

8:45 Presidential candidates Jaume Guixà and Santiago Salvat haven't passed the cut although it's not yet known how many signatures they have collected.

9:00 pm Agustí Benedito also passes the cut with 2.847 signatures.

The Quotes: Plaza, Benedito, Rosell, Laporta, Ferrer

"I've never believed in a pact between Ferrer and Ingla. I would think that a deal between Ferrer and Rosell is more likely."

Alexis Plaza


"I will not use private jets if I'm elected as president."

Agustí Benedito


"We cannot have agreements with a country like Uzbekistan."

Sandro Rosell


"If mister Rosell want to act in a populist way, he might start to stop his relationship with Scolari, who has been a coach in Uzbekistan."

Joan Laporta


"When in the past the outgoing president didn't take part in the elections, the favourite has never won."

Jaume Ferrer

read more election quotes here

Benedito, Salvat, Guixa and Plaza struggling with signatures

The three main Catalan sports papers agree today that Barcelona presidential candidates Sandro Rosell, Jaume Ferrer and Marc Ingla will certainly pass the cut of the 2.095 signatures that should be delivered tomorrow. Rosell would clearly present the most signatures.

From the other four candidates, Benedito would be the closest to pass the cut although it would be close. The three remaining candidates - Santiago Salvat, Jaume Guixà and Alexis Plaza - would almost certainly not obtain the signatures needed and would have to leave the race.

Read more:
The process of collecting the signatures
How many people will be able to vote?
The electoral proceedings

Plaza: "I hope to run again in 2022"

This blog had an exclusive interview with Barcelona presidential candidate Alexis Plaza.


We're less than 48 hours before the end of the collecting of the signatures. How many signatures do you have in your hands at this moment?
We have around half of them. We still need to collect more the coming day and a half. What I can assure is that we will work until the last minute.

When did you first think about running for president of FC Barcelona?
It has been in my mind for many years and I believed it shouldn't just stay a dream. I thought this was the best moment to act and that I can give many good things to the club.

When did you actually start working on the campaign for the 2010 elections?
A group of us started talking about the details in August of last year and we continued growing until today.

John Benjamin Toshack is your stepfather. Are there any players from the Welsh national team that have the qualities to play at Barça?
I have many respect for all Welsh players, but I believe there is at this moment none that could meet the profile to play in Barça.

You want to attract a shirt sponsor because of the 20 millions the club could get. Isn't that a short-term view? Won't the club lose - or attract less - fans which will make us lose more than those 20 millions in for example merchandising and television rights?
If we win games, we will always have good television rights. We have always said that we will continue helping UNICEF but we need an extra income that could come from a second sponsor. This could be achieved by sharing the shirt or putting another sponsor on the training outfit.

What do you think about the campaign so far?
It's dirty and that's not good for the club and the members. And I think it will get worse.

You have said that Sandro Rosell has been talking several times with the Boixos Nois. Are you sure of that? When and where did they meet?
We have been informed by people from other groups that they all sat together to talk. This is not necesarily a bad thing as there are people that identify themselves as Boixos Nois but are against violence.

Your campaign budget is around 3.200 euros. How much do you have left and how did you spend it?
It's in the end 3.400-3.500 euros. As soon as the process of the signatures ends, we will publish all of our costs.

You have given up your job for this campaign while Spain is going through a the biggest economic crisis of recent times. Some people see that as a proof that you are a rich kid for whom running for president is just another game.
The credit crunch is does not only affets Spain, it's something worldwide. I have always demonstrated that whatever I have been involved in, I have done it my own way. We are demonstrating that in these difficult times we must optimize all resources and that's why we are only spending a small budget. I would be more worried about those spending millions in their campaign.

What do you want to do regarding the globalization of the club? Do you agree that this should be the number one priority of the club right now?
The priority is to pay the debt we have and to continue having a good team. This will give us a good position for all the rest.

Do you plan to continue with the "Somni blaugrana" project after the elections and for example prepare the elections of 2016?
I hope that if I will get another chance to give my best for the club, this will be in 2022. I will always wish that the next president can serve his maximum term because that would mean a lot of wins and trophies for Barça. It is not an easy decision to run again in the future. We will have to see if we can offer a good project to the member.

Which question you have heard the most during this campaign and you're sick of answering?
Do you have the bank guarantee?

Which question didn't you hear one time during this campaign, while you would have liked to answer it?
Do you think you can be the best Barça president in history?

Who will you vote for if you don't pass the cut of the signatures?
I will vote for no one. I will keep on believing that our project is the best over all.

Many thanks for this interview and good luck in the final hours of the collection of the signatures.

Read more:
Benedito: "The media already have their favourites"
Cardoner: "The member always has the last word"
Guixa: "I reaffirm that the club is almost bankrupt"

The Quotes: Ferrer, Ingla, Benedito, Rosell, Plaza

"I want to challenge mister Sandro Rosell for a face-to-face debate. Him against me. One on one. If he doesn't accept the proposal, that's maybe because he has things to hide."

Jaume Ferrer


"Whatever price the current board agrees for Cesc, if we're elected, we will and can pay it."

Marc Ingla


"They've told me that during the last league game at the Camp Nou, key members of the Boixos Nois were distributing propaganda for Sandro Rosell."

Agustí Benedito


"The signing of Mourinho is great for the Liga and for Madrid. It will again be a tough league but Barça will keep on winning trophies."

Sandro Rosell


"For who will I vote if I don't pass the cut? No one. Blank ballot."

Alexis Plaza

read more election quotes here

Plaza rejects offer to sell signatures

Speaking to Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo (and repeating it later in an interview with Catalan sports paper El 9 Esportiu), Barcelona presidential candidate Alexis Plaza has said that he has received offers to sell the signatures of club members he has already collected:

"Have they tried to buy my signatures? Oh yes! I can not say who because the person did not identify himself but they have called us and because they think we are new or young, they proposed us to withdraw not to make a fool of ourselves and they asked to put a price on our signatures. But we will fight until the end. I guess some people are very desperate."

Read more:
Plaza: "Young people are tired of fake promises"
The process of collecting the signatures
Plaza considers Alexanko as sports director

Rosell has already enough signatures

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona presidential candidate Sandro Rosell was yesterday the only candidate who has already collected the 2.095 signatures of club members needed to take part in the elections for president of FC Barcelona on Sunday 13 June.

Former Barcelona vice-presidents Jaume Ferrer and Marc Ingla would be on their way to pass the number, while Agustí Benedito, Santiago Salvat, Jaume Guixà and Alexis Plaza would have difficulties to reach the necesary signatures of support the candidates should present on Tuesday 29 May.

Read more:
The process of collecting the signatures
"Sandro Rosell" not on support slips
The electoral proceedings

The Quotes: Ferrer, Perrin, Salvat, Rosell, Plaza

"There are 30.000 new club members who joined during this mandate, who never go the stadium and who are difficult to control."

Jaume Ferrer


"The lawyers of Alexandre are the same ones who for years have launched claims against the club."

Albert Perrín


"In the coming days we will make things public that will change the balance."

Santiago Salvat


"When I was born, they gave me the name Alessandro, but when they wanted to register the name, the government only accepted names included in a list of saints. So they had to change it to Alejandro, although in the end it became Alexandre."

Sandro Rosell


"Sandro Rosell has already copied two of our proposals, a youth stand and an own travel agency. Nonetheless, the media have claimed the ideas were his."

Alexis Plaza

read more election quotes here

[picture] The blood of Alexis Plaza

On Wednesday, Barcelona presidential canddiate Alexis Plaza and part of his board team donated blood.

[picture] Candidates take part in football game

This morning, members of several presidential candidacies, former players of FC Barcelona and representatives of the press have played a football tournament in Barcelona.

From left to right:
Agustí Benedito, Alexis Plaza, Santiago Salvat, Jaume Guixà, Carles Ayats [candidacy Jaume Ferrer] and Josep Maria Bartomeu [candidacy Sandro Rosell]

Poll Voting Intentions: One Month Before

This is the final result (in percentages) of this blog's Who would you vote for in the elections for president of FC Barcelona? poll that was held exactly one month before the elections:

Sandro Rosell 30.9
Marc Ingla 23.6
Jaume Ferrer 15.5
Agusti Benedito 11.2

Don't know/Don't answer 9.4
Alexis Plaza 5.6
Santiago Salvat 2.2
Jaume Guixa 1.7

compare with the results of february, march and april here

check more voting intention poll results

Benedito accuses paper of burying poll

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claimed yesterday that Barcelona presidential candidate Agustí Benedito had ordered a university poll regarding the upcoming presidential elections that was carried out on Sunday in the surroundings of the Camp Nou.

Of the 1.200 people polled, 54% reportedly didn't yet make their choice about who they will choose for on 13 June. Half of those who already decided, said they would vote for Rosell, 24% for Ferrer and 15% for Ingla. Benedito got 11% of the votes, while Guixà got 1% and Salvat and Plaza were not included.

Benedito confirmed yesterday on a press conference that they indeed had that poll but explained later on Facebook – while linking to the article in El Mundo Deportivo - that it was in fact Catalan sports paper Sport that had asked for the poll but later didn't want to make it public and instead reported on another poll (read more here):

"This is the poll that Sport had ordered with the Ramon Llull university but that they then decided not to publish. They have the right to publish what they want just as I can tell this, right? In this one we have 11%, while in the one they published we have 1,4%. Now I tell you…"

Read more:
Benedito: "Transfer of Villa won't influence vote"
Poll result: Who would you vote for?
The collection of the signatures has started

The Quotes: Plaza, Salvat, Rosell, Ingla, Ferrer

"None of the candidates can claim the successes of the team."

Alexis Plaza


"We have received information that Marc Ingla and Jaume Ferrer will end up making a deal."

Santiago Salvat


"Henrique and Keirrison? We will see what the audits say about the transfers of those two players."

Sandro Rosell


"It seems a contradiction that mister Rosell talks about financial austerity while his campaign headquarters are almost as big as two football fields, including television studios and hair dressers."

Marc Ingla


"In our polls we have three times the percentage of votes than in the poll of El Periódico and Sport, we're ahead of Ingla and the percentage of Rosell is dropping."

Jaume Ferrer

read more election quotes here

Poll result: Who would you vote for?

Who would you vote for as president of Barça?

Sandro Rosell 54,8%
Marc Ingla 12,4%
Jaume Ferrer 9,9%
Santiago Salvat 1,6%
Agustí Benedito 1,4%
Alexis Plaza 0,4%
Jaume Guixà 0,3%

Others 1,0%
None 1,3%
Won't vote 2,3%
Don't know/Don't answer 14,9%

total votes: 800
date poll: 16 may 2010
poll method: interviews with club members who have the right to vote by polling agency Gesop in the surroundings of the Camp Nou around the time of the league game against Valladolid

source: el periódico and sport

check more election poll results here

[picture] Campaign flyer of Alexis Plaza

This is the front of flyer that is used during this campaign by Barcelona presidential candidate Alexis Plaza.

The Quotes: Benedito, Rosell, Salvat, Ingla, Plaza

"Since there are still 70% of the voters undecided, I'm sure the elections will be decided in the last week and maybe even on the last day."

Agustí Benedito


"In 2016, the vote will be online or people will be able to vote in Tarragona and the other Catalan provincial capitals."

Sandro Rosell


"Not all club members without a season ticket want to have one."

Santiago Salvat


"It's very contradictory that after having tried to kick out Rijkaard and Begiristain, Rosell is now trying to hug everybody."

Marc Ingla


"We continue to be independent and we don't plan to become a part of another candidacy."

Alexis Plaza

read more election quotes here

The collection of the signatures has started

Barcelona's official website reports that several Barcelona presidential candidates came to the Camp Nou this morning to ask the club for the slips that can be used to collect the 2.095 signatures of the club members that are needed to become a candidate in the vote on Sunday 13 June (read more here).

People can get a number of slips for free - 4.190, twice the signatures needed - and if they want to have more, they need to pay for them. The candidates have asked the following number of slips: Sandro Rosell 60.000, Marc Ingla 40.000, Jaume Ferrer 25.000, Agustí Benedito 20.000, Santiago Salvat 12.000, Jaume Guixà 9.000 and Alexis Plaza 4.190.

Three pre-candidates that didn't yet announce before that they have the intention to run for president of FC Barcelona also formally asked for slips. Francesc Liñan and Ferran Estrada asked for 4.190 slips, while Jordi Ruiz asked for 5.000 official papers that should be handed back to the club in two weeks with the signature of club members.

Read more:
Salvat wants to help others to collect signatures
[2003] The battle for the signatures has started
Pre-candidates need to collect signatures

Plaza considers Alexanko as sports director

Speaking at a press conference, Barcelona presidential candidate Alexis Plaza has said that if current Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain wants to leave the club this summer, his candidacy would offer Barcelona youth director Alexanko to replace him:

"If Txiki wants to continue, we support that option since he has done a good job. He made some mistakes but he also made a lot of good signings like those of Keita, Alves or Touré. If he doesn't want to stay next season, we think that Alexanko could replace him."

José Ramón Alexanko (53) played for Barcelona between 1980 and 1993. As a player of Barcelona, the Basque central defender won - among other trophies - four Spanish league titles, four Spanish cups, one Champions League and two European cup winners' cups. Alexanko was in 2005 appointed as the director of the club's youth academy.

Read more:
Daughter of Stoichkov joins Plaza candidacy
Three 'Dream Team' players in candidacy Guixa
Ex-players Amor and Migueli linked with Rosell