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.

[picture] Josep Maria Minguella at the fair

Former Barcelona presidential candidate Josep Maria Minguella, part of the candidacy of Santiago Salvat, on campaign.

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

The remodelling plan of Santiago Salvat

This is the plan of Barcelona presidential candidate Santiago Salvat to remodel the Camp Nou (read more here). Four rows of seats will be added in the whole stadium and the roof over part of the stadium will be lifted.

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

Salvat wants scouting network of ex-players

Former Barcelona presidential candidate Josep Maria Minguella [picture, on the right], who will become sports vice-president if Santiago Salvat is elected as president, has said at a press conference that he wants to set up a global network of talent scouts:

"We should globalize our youth academy and that's why we need to have a red of people around the world who can inform us about promising players of 12-13 years old. We need to find the players who will be the new Messi or the new Ronaldinho in a few years time.

Former players like Eusebio, Nadal, Víctor Muñoz, Stoichkov, Moratalla, Rojo or Esteban are possible scouts. I think it's important these people know the club and are honest. We need to have full confidence int he people who are going to watch the players, because you cannot do this with people who bring you suspected players like Keirrison."

Read more:
Salvat talking with ex-players Stoichkov and Ferrer
Ingla wants global youth academy
Plaza considers Alexanko as sports director

Salvat: "The board of Laporta has been extremist"

Barcelona presidential candidate Santiago Salvat gave an interview to Catalan online paper El Singular Digital.


During your first public appearance you said that the other candidates were linked to political interests...
In recent years we have clearly seen the politicization of Barça. The Catalan identity is also part of our ideas, we will never deny that, but I'll be the only president who will not get involved in politics. FC Barcelona is Catalan and an ambassador for Catalonia in the world and it's something that implicitly is always there. Personally, I have never been linked to politics, I'm not in favour of Catalan independence, but I believe in the Catalan nation.

Catalan politician Joan Carretero has said that being the president of Barça is a lot more important than being the president of the Catalan government.
Being the president of Barça has a far bigger social dimension, that is true. The Barcelona president is known worldwide and the Catalan president, unfortunately, is not.

Political and economic interests have an influence on the current board?
They influence the decisions of certain members. We must distinguish between political beliefs and the personal obligations that are generated by institutionally representing Barça. The club's board should represent all political and cultural sensitivities of the members and the fans. You cannot choose one concrete option.

If we look at the economic area, an article published in the newspaper 'El Pais' talked about supposed links between Laporta and the president of Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov. What do you think is true about those reports?
We have the evidence that this is true, but we won't use it. It is a very unclear issue, but I have seen that evidence. Obviously Barça should continue with those business dealings that give the club a good image and has to put aside those who are only in favour of some board member. In recent years, Barça has created more enemies than friends.

We've also heard you say that your candidacy is not "extremist". The current has been so?
Yes. Since the start, and especially at this moment, the board of Laporta has been extremist. Moreover, the current board is presidential. Laporta says what has to be done. And all those who have been leaving the board did that because they had the same feeling, they wanted to get in his seat to do the same.

Regarding your candidacy, a lot of names have been discussed, including that of Carles Rexach.
He has been in contact with us and he had a small commitment. After that, I found out through the newspapers that he would support Rosell. I did not like that. But in the next few days more names will come out, that is part of our strategy. We have a group of some twenty people, some of which have a great experience and others are young people with new ideas.

You are the son of publisher...
Yes, but I promise I won't write a book. Unlike many others, I don't run for the presidency of Barça to write a book. The final book that describes this club should be written by the members.

this was the second and last part of this interview. you can read the first part here.

Read more:
Salvat officially presents his candidacy
[picture] The kiss of Santiago Salvat
Son Camp Nou architect could lead remodelling

interview: xavier march

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

"Let's be honest, not all candidates believe in the youth academy. If they believe in a project based on transfers, they should dare to say it."

Jaume Ferrer


"Today, we have 1.300 signatures in our hands."

Agustí Benedito


"A company of mister Alexandre Rosell is linked with a presumed case of corruption by five public prosecutors in Brazil. I think that he should give an explanation, because this is very serious and the club member should have all elements needed to make a choice in the elections."

Joan Laporta


"My company had a contract with the government of Brasilia, who is involved in irregularities. There is no investigation against us, we have only been asked to provide information, which we did."

Sandro Rosell


"If the club needs more revenues, we should analyze if we will look for a shirt sponsor."

Santiago Salvat

read more election quotes here

The Quotes: Guixa, Minguella, Soriano, Salvat, Rosell

"We will all have difficulties to get the 2.095 signatures. The decision of Laporta that didn't allow us to collect signatures at the last league game has hurt us. We'll have to wait and see what happens."

Jaume Guixà


"The only thing I would ask Txiki if he wants to continue is that he would clearly explain me how and why Henrique and Keirrison have been transferred."

Josep Maria Minguella


"I don't understand why Sandro Rosell goes to Madrid and declares there that we have a catastrophic debt while that's a lie. We have a debt of around 240 millions, which is less than our opponents."

Ferran Soriano


"Barça should not have links with countries that seem to be a dictatorship."

Santiago Salvat


"I am not against the collective sale of the television rights but only if it doesn't hurt our interests."

Sandro Rosell

read more election quotes here

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

"We will reduce the price of the season-tickets by 40%."

Santiago Salvat


"Now is the time when the club members are starting to get interested in the candidates and their program."

Jaume Ferrer


"With more than 400 million fans worldwide, Barça is a global feeling."

Marc Ingla


"I'm not against the collective sale of the television right, but only in case it doesn't harm us."

Sandro Rosell


"Sandro Rosell will put in danger the current sports model."

Joan Laporta

read more election quotes here

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

"A youth player who arrives at the first team has cost us 2 to 3 million euros."

Ferran Soriano


"Sandro Rosell is a balloon that is deflating."

Albert Perrín


"We will pass the cut. We have already around 1.300 signatures."

Santiago Salvat


"The figure of an honorary president doesn't exist in the club statutes. So the members will first have to decide if they want this and then if they want Johan Cruyff."

Sandro Rosell


"Our campaign will cost around 1 million euros."

Jaume Ferrer

read more election quotes here

Salvat: "The member will know everything"

Barcelona presidential candidate Santiago Salvat gave an interview to Catalan online paper El Singular Digital.


More and more people seem to claim the label of "alternative candidate"...
We are the only truly new candidacy. All other projects have already been linked to electoral processes or to the board of directors. They already had their moment, now it's our turn, we have a new team, enthusiasm, with people who are prepared and who bring renewal to the club.

But people like Josep Maria Minguella Josep and Jordi Medina are part of your project. Both have already tried before to become the president of Barça...
They have tried it, they realize that everything has stayed the same and this time they want to offer their experience to a young and new project and therefore, they have set a step back. People do not see me as the candidate of Minguella and he has already begun working for us.

As far as the sports area is concerend, Barça is going through one of the best moments of its history. It seems strange to talk about change...
The sporting successes are not the responsibility of the president or the board, but of the professionals who have made this possible. We are the alternative regarding the institutional representation and have a way of doing things based on transparency. One of our slogans is: "The member will know everything".

But Guardiola was appointed by the board of Laporta, no?
That is a lie. Laporta did not want Guardiola. He refused the option en Marc Ingla then went to see Mourinho and when he said no, they decided to count on Guardiola. This was their last card left and they thought that if the results wouldn't be good, the member would not act, because Pep is a club icon.

However, the titles will be one of the main arguments put on the table by the continuity candidate to convince the member.
If we reach the presidency and Barça wins a Champions League, I do not want people to say that Santiago Salvat has won a Champions League. It will have been the players and the coaches who have done it. We want to give all the facilities to the coaches. I think I will have a good relationship with Guardiola and Xavi Pascual [coach of the basketball team].

There has been talk of a "center" candidacy. That's a vague concept...
The third way, our way, is a way between two extremes. The continuism and Sandro Rosell, who we call "pseudo-continuism".

Then there are those who point at a big pact of all candidates against Rosell...
All candidates against Rosell will be impossible because we won't be part of that. We won't go against anyone, the others are already doing that. Laporta, Rosell Ferrer or Ingla are already talking about a dirty campaign and we will not get involved in that fight. I'm sure there will be pacts and the ones who could most benefit from this are Ingla and Ferrer.

In the case we really end up with those two blocks, your chances of becoming the president would get complicated?
No, quite the opposite. The positions of each one would get more extreme, they would become more radical and it would become clear they want to get in power no matter what. A pact with us would be impossible because we would force them to accept a series of criteria related to transparency that they would not accept because they have a past at the club.

this was the first part of this interview. you will be able to read the second part in the coming days.

Read more:
Salvat officially presents his candidacy
[picture] The kiss of Santiago Salvat
Son Camp Nou architect could lead remodelling

interview: xavier march

The Quotes: Godall, Ferrer, Salvat, Soriano, Rosell

"Both Ferran Soriano and Marc Ingla, who got to know agents and other people in the world of football when they were economic and sports vice-presidents, have received phone calls with suggestions and offers regarding players. We will contact Txiki and transmit him all the information we received."

Alfons Godall


"We want to collect around 10.000 signatures."

Jaume Ferrer


"We have carried out a poll in the surroundings of the Camp Nou that indicated that we would win with 42% of the votes"

Santiago Salvat


"It's ridiculous that a candidate thinks that he has more possibilities than the club to sign players."

Ferran Soriano


"Pep shouldn't have total control. He only needs the power that the coach of Barcelona should have."

Sandro Rosell

read more election quotes here

[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]

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

"One of our ideas is to introduce voting by mail."

Agustí Benedito


"If Laporta would run, I would vote for him."

Jaume Ferrer


"Unicef is a good thing but if Barça needs more revenues you will have to look at the option of finding a shirt sponsor."

Santiago Salvat


"Both Rosell and Laporta are impulsive people who like to be the star."

Marc Ingla


"The fans now feel more like a customer than like an owner of the club."

Sandro Rosell

read more election quotes here

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

[picture] The kiss of Santiago Salvat

Barcelona presidential candidate Santiago Salvat kissing his wife at the presentation of his candidacy at the Olympic and Sports museum in Barcelona.

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