BARCELONA – Josep Maria Minguella, vice president of sports in Emili Rousaud’s pre-candidacy in the Barcelona presidency elections, announced on Wednesday that if his project is the most voted by members, the club will be in the elections of Jan. 24 will be able to continue working on Erling Haaland’s signing, he will be “very much at the top” of Kylian Mbappé, ensuring Lionel Messi’s sustainability and reviving a club that, he said, is going through a critical moment.
The veteran former players’ representative stated the need to hire a sports director “with extensive experience”, questioning the prowess of Xavi or Jordi Cruyff, was not as forceful in Neymar’s return and warned against the desirability of postpone the elections. for the current health status as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
If Rousaud wins the election and becomes president, “I will take responsibility for the sporting issue, which is key to the club’s revival,” announced Minguella, who supported Rousaud’s project and warned that in the current situation Barcelona can only move forward “a good manager, who knows how to interpret a balance sheet properly, who does not have to deal with buses selling stories, but who knows what it is to start a business from scratch, a turnover of more than 500 million euros, making a profit, staying in Catalonia when others have gone to tax havens … Those values are what I want to preside over Barça. That’s why I want to help Rousaud, because I want to help Barça. ”
“The issue of Messi is very simple. Leo is delighted in Barcelona,” said the leader, warning that the Argentinian “like any top athlete always wants to win. He has gone from winning the Champions League, Leagues … to nothing. and he continues with the mindset to keep winning. What we offer him in the field of football will put him at the top and he will be happy to continue here. This is a problem to assume that Barça has a great team again and if he doesn’t see it that way, he will leave because he will get first-class offers, ”he said.
Minguella denounced that in recent years, “there was no sports director with the level necessary for the club. Players of all circumstances are signed without a particular criterion … Every time a plane arrives from Brazil, a player gets out there. Some are not even presented, others disappear … This has to be cleaned up completely and that can only be done by a sports director who is a real professional ”.
For this reason, he announced that in his project “we will have someone who knows how to find players to renew this squad with little money and return the illusion. I have not seen anyone talking about a viable and realistic project. .. This candidacy does have a world-class sports project that will soon reverse the club’s current unfortunate sports situation ”.
In this sense, he confirmed that there are three proposals on the table. “We have three top guys with current contracts that can’t be said right now because you have to be very discreet and don’t filter anything,” he said, detracting from Xavi’s arrival: “I love him, he’s a great player, but from my point of view I prefer someone with a lot of experience, I have nothing against him, who is in Qatar, or against Jordi Cruyff, who was in China … but this job in a club like Barça requires a lot experience, because 700 million euros cannot be placed in the hands of whoever was a very good footballer on the field but has not yet started on this facet If it is a question of a good name, that seems very good to me. .. and we’ll see in a few years ”.
Regarding their names as cracks, Minguella did not shy away and claimed to have Haaland under control, in addition to not forgetting Mbappé. “Haaland? I spoke to Raiola and I have all the details on what could happen if Rousaud is president. I know the terms, although I have already told Raiola that we would not use it as an electoral weapon. I just gave him that. the day after the election, you would call in person, ”he announced.
It was also clear with Mbappé. His name was on the table after Neymar left, when he was still in Monaco, in the midst of his squad’s disbandment, and it was quite possible. He was sitting at the Barça managers’ table and it was decided to sign Dembele Geniuses at the time understood that it was better for the team. It was a shame, and I already reported it, “he said, assuming I would come back for him in the future.
“If we win the elections, Mbappé will be back on the table, we will sit him very well and in fact we have already made moves, although it is a complicated issue because the Arabs are involved and also Real Madrid … But nobody doubt we’ll be there. “
Was less forceful when he referred to Neymar: “With Neymar we have to wait and see what happens. If there is a sports director, it will be seen. Now he cannot be contracted, if he is a year off from here, the sports director must decide If he said yes, fine, if he said no, he would find another “.
Minguella stressed, however, that Barça “needs to know how to deal with players of this category if they are not well known. When Salzburg or Monaco sign them, not when they are already active. This is a manager’s ideal job. He’s a very knowledgeable person. To sign a player for 120 million euros I don’t need a sports director, I can use a financier to put the money in. “
And he remembered a closer case. “Lautaro played for Racing de Avellaneda, which won the championship and was the top scorer … And Barça noticed him when he was already at Inter Milan and he was worth 100 million. That’s why they need knowledgeable people who can find these class players. at the given time. “
Faced with the imminent winter market, Rousaud’s accomplice surprised by assuring that he “makes arrangements with funds for long-term financing. If we win the election, I’ve already talked to the potential sports directors of two names, except more expensive and improve the current team. The priority is a defender and an attacker and we were able to have them at the end of January at no direct cost to the club. We have everything ready. “
“I would like to include Rexach in the Barça structure. Everyone is talking about cruyffismo here … but Rexach is not only a character that was always connected to Barça who was fired four days ago, but has always been connected to the club. since he was old. And he was the one who said yes to Messi. When there were so many doubts at the club, Rexach was the one who played a part with his signature, “he said, also recalling that Rexach” knows a lot about football and through the club is wasted. Guardiola, Tito … Many are his products, because it was he, for example, who told Cruyff about Guardiola when Milla went to Madrid. “
In the same way, he announced that he was in talks to get Hristo Stoichkov back. “ He has a television contract in the United States and I can’t confirm it until January 26, but he has an offer on the table to join the club when Emili is president as a key figure in the club’s relationships with organizations such as UEFA, FIFA, FEF, The league … “.
Finally, Minguella surprised by stating that the coronavirus pandemic would discourage holding the planned elections. “Maybe they should be delayed. It is more important to win the pandemic than to win an election. If they had common sense, they would be delayed … Perhaps the most appropriate thing would be to wait for the candidates. accept it all and make it to the elections. Later. What’s more important as we are? The lives of the people or the elections in Barça? A meeting could last six months and then we’ll see, “he agreed.