BLAUGRANES THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE WORLD CONFEDERATION OF FC BARCELONA SUPPORTERS CLUBS. NO.7 – OCTOBER 2018
The 39th World Congress of Supporters Clubs confirms the project’s success
WORLD CONGRESS OF SUPPORTERS CLUBS 2018 SPECIAL • INTERVIEW WITH SISTER LUCÍA CARAM • BLAUGRANA TALKS • II PAN-AMERICAN SUPPORTERS CLUB MEETING • MEET THE SUPPORTERS CLUBS
O C T O B E R
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EDITORIAL
Antoni Guil reflects on the outcome of the 39th World Congress of Supporters Clubs.
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INTERVIEW MEET THE We talk to Sister Lucia Caram about the Invulnerables project and her SUPPORTERS relationship with FC Barcelona. CLUBS We take a look at a day in the life of the PB de Puigcerdà, PB de Fuentealbilla and the PB of Saint Petersburg.Petersburgo.
SPECIAL
All the details on the World Congress of Supporters Clubs and its most noteworthy activities.
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INTERNATIONAL
A detailed overview of the II PanAmerican Supporters Club Meeting.
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IN BRIEF All the latest supporters club
INFOGRAPHIC
The most important details on the new supporters club regulations.
activities.
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REPORT
An overview of the informative talks offered by the World Confederation of Supporters Clubs.
BLAUGRANES NÚM. 7 OCTUBRE 2018
EDITION World Confederation of Supporters Clubs PRESIDENT Antoni Guil I Román MANAGER Joan Camps i Reig EDITING World Confederation of Supporters Clubs, Llorente & Cuenca ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Communication and Marketing Departments of FC Barcelona COLLABORATORS Supporters Club Federations of FC Barcelona, Pere Escobar COVER PHOTOGRAPH Germán Parga – FCB PHOTOGRAPHY Germán Parga – FCB, Miguel Ruiz – FCB, Víctor Salgado – FCB, Santiago Garcés – FCB, Dani Aznar, Sara Gordón, Jorge Frias LAYOUT DESIGN Bufa Tramuntana Comunicació PRINTING TO+ Creacions Gràfiques LEGAL DEPOSIT B 25197-2017
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E D I T O R I A L
A dream that belongs to everyone Last season was crucial for the supporters club movement, and this was exemplified at the 39th edition of our World Congress: a huge celebration of Barça sentiment that for another year running served to highlight the important actions that have been underway and the impressive results these achieved. One may also stress the importance to reflect upon new challenges that will come our way in the future. The work undertaken is exemplary. We’re achieving our goals in the field of communication, devising new channels and formulas to enhance the feeling of belonging. Day-to-day management is becoming more autonomous and we are providing the Federations with the resources to transform themselves into the fundamental pillars of blaugrana sentiment, as well as expanding in the area of solidarity to continue to collaborate for the wellbeing of those most in need. One of the achievements that most stands out is the excellent relationship the supporters club movement has maintained with FC Barcelona. The complicity of the Board of Directors and their firm commitment to the growth and transformation of our movement has been demonstrated more than ever before, and has already born fruit in the shape of a new collaborative agreement that will govern our relations from now on. We must also highlight the work undertaken in conjunction with the Barça
Foundation, with whom we share our social commitment to those most in need. But this doesn’t mean the wheels should stop turning. The future before us is as promising as it is challenging, and we must be aware of the work that’s still left to do. We took the first step in the auditorium of the Palau de Congressos, with the unanimous approval of a new supporters club regulations that will help us adapt to the movement’s new organisation and structure, which must keep moving forward. We have the opportunity to transform the supporters club model, making it more attractive and becoming more involved within the local community. We also have a duty to continue carrying out important actions and activities in order to remain the benchmark that we are; but most importantly, we also have a responsibility to expand our social base by strengthening the dialogue and remaining close to the FC Barcelona community by identifying what brings us together through the project “Socis fem penya”. But one thing remains clear: if the challenges are great, then our ability to achieve a dream that belongs to everyone is even greater. Right now, I can only thank you and encourage you in your affection, commitment and desire to spread the word about this Club that’s so dear to our hearts; the best club in the world, FC Barcelona.
Antoni Guil
President of the FC Barcelona World Confederation of Supporters Clubs
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WORLD CONGRESS OF
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The World Congress of Supporters Clubs celebrates its 39th edition with over 1,300 attendees THE CONGRESS BROUGHT TOGETHER PENYISTES, MEMBERS AND FANS FROM ALL FIVE CONTINENTS AND CONSOLIDATED THE SUCCESS OF THE SUPPORTERS CLUB PROJECT Despite the unprecedented heatwave that overwhelmed the city of Barcelona on August 15th, the desire for future sporting successes and blaugrana passion were reason enough for over 1,300 penyistes and members of FC Barcelona to attend the most important event of the year for the supporters club movement: the World Congress of Supporters Clubs. The doors
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opened at nine o’clock in the morning for the 39th edition of the annual event that offers blaugrana fans from around the world a platform for the presentation and approval of the work undertaken throughout the season, and of projects to be developed over the next three years. Throughout its history, which spans almost 40 years, the World Congress of Supporters Clubs has become the ideal space to share common goals that will continue to give impulse to the growth and expansion of the supporters club movement, through the projects promoted by the World Confederation of Supporters Clubs and FC Barcelona. This year, the Congress was divided into two different parts. The first part was a work event led by the president of the World Confederation of Supporters Clubs Antoni Guil, and his board members, and presented by Confederation secretary Joan GimÊnez. The second part was of a more institutional nature, attended by the president of FC Barcelona, Josep Maria Bartomeu; first vice-president, Jordi Cardoner; and board member Pau Vilanova, as well as other members of the Board of Directors. The event was moderated by the secretary of the Board, Jordi Calsamiglia.
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THE ROAD TO A NEW MODEL OF SUPPORTERS CLUB During the act, Antoni Guil highlighted the need to change the supporters club model by continuing to win the appeal of, and be necessary to, the public and members of FC Barcelona. He also thanked the Club and its Board of Directors for their involvement and continued commitment to the transformation of the supporters club movement through the close collaboration between the World Confederation of Supporters Clubs and FC Barcelona.
BLAUGRANES MAGAZINE AND THE NEW SUPPORTERS CLUB WEBSITE, COMMUNICATIVE MILESTONES For his part, Lluís Grau, the institutional vice-president of the Confederation, emphasised the vital role played by penyistes in the blaugrana universe, and highlighted their unconditional support and encouragement for all the FC Barcelona teams. With regard to communication, the spokesperson for the Institutional and Services Commission referred to the World Confederation of Supporters Clubs’ strategy for notoriety by outlining its latest achievements, some of the most noteworthy being the three editions of Blaugranes magazine published throughout the last season, and the unveiling of a new website, scheduled for October. Finally, the board member introduced the vote for the new supporters club regulations, that has been drafted with the collaboration of all the supporters clubs and Federations. These new regulations, which will regulate the functioning of blaugrana organisations, was overwhelmingly approved.
EVENTS, ACTIVITIES AND SOLIDARITY, THE INGREDIENTS FOR SUCCESS Penyistes and fans were also made aware of some of the most noteworthy actions and activities of the supporters club universe by the entity’s socio-cultural vice-president, Salvador Torres. Throughout the last season, initiatives such as the Penyes Futbol Games Tournament and the Junts+ project have contributed to the consolidation of the blaugrana universe. Both initiatives are designed to strengthen the supporters club brand and promote the Barça spirit among younger fans.
Juan Carrión, spokesperson for the Solidarity Council, gave an overview of the actions taken during the season in one of the areas the organisation promotes: solidarity. The supporters club board member highlighted the importance of working together with entities such as the Barça Foundation in order to progress and achieve more milestones and objectives in the area of solidarity.
APPROVAL OF THE ACCOUNTS AND PRESENTATION OF THE BUDGET FOR 2018-19 The first part of the Congress was wrapped up by the managing director of the World Confederation of Supporters Clubs, Joan Camps, who presented penyistes with the main financial figures of the season. The first part of the event thus ended with the approval of the accounts for the previous season, 2017-18, and the presentation of the Confederation budget for the upcoming season 2018-2019.
UNCONDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM THE CLUB The collaboration between the Club and the Confederation continues to be successful, as was confirmed by Josep Maria Bartomeu, president of FC Barcelona, who accompanied by Jordi Cardoner, first vice-president of the Club; Pau Vilanova, board member in charge of Supporters Clubs; Jordi Moix, third vicepresident of FC Barcelona responsible for the Espai Barça; and Dídac Lee, member of the Board of Directors, took to the stage to highlight the importance of supporters clubs in making Barça the world’s greatest Club.
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A SPECTACULAR GALA LUNCH
INTRODUCING NEW SIGNINGS TO PENYISTES After the speeches from the representatives of FC Barcelona came one of the main highlights of the event: the presentation of the new first team signings. Year after year, the new additions are met warmly and enthusiastically by penyistes. And this year, Lenglet, Arthur, Malcom and Arturo Vidal were no exception to the rule. They took to the stage to exchange a few words with the fans, accompanied by technical secretary, Éric Abidal, and assistant to the technical secretary, Ramon Planes.
The cherry on the cake was the gala lunch, the climax of the intense days that take place during the World Congress of Supporters Clubs. As is tradition, the blaugrana feast was attended by the members of FC Barcelona’s Board of Directors, accompanied by other personalities and over 950 penyistes. In a relaxed atmosphere bursting with Barça spirit from every corner of the world, fans and members of the Club enjoyed an ideal space where they could share their experiences. The lunch also included a homage to all the supporters clubs that have celebrated important anniversaries in 2018. Year after year, the supporters club movement grows stronger.
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The 13th 7-a-side Football Tournament experiences the closest final in the history of the Congress
The 13th 7-a-side Football Tournament experienced a historical final. Over 250 children representing 12 Supporters Club Federations had eagerly awaited the competition, which has now become a landmark event of the World Congress of Supporters Clubs. During the tournament, which aims to promote sport among young people, the values of FC Barcelona – respect, effort, ambition, teamwork and humility – are very much on display.
THE WINNER OF THE 13th 7-A-SIDE FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT WAS DECIDED ON PENALTIES IN BOTH PARTICIPATING CATEGORIES
On August 13th and 14th, the pitches of the Miniestadi were ready to host an intense competition which ended in victory in the U10 category for the PB Vendrell i Baix Penedès, representing the Federation of Supporters Clubs for Tarragona Nord. On the other hand, the Peña Leonesa FC Barcelona, from the Federation of Supporters Clubs for Castilla y León, won the trophy in the U12 category.
THE ROAD TO THE FINAL Taking place over two days, the 7-a-side Football Tournament is the longest event of the Congress, and in this last edition, a total of 19 teams, 9 from the U12 and 10 from the U10 categories,
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all arrived rearing to go. Some teams even participated in the tournament after playing a knockout round within their respective Supporters Club Federations.
FC Barcelona, and Antoni Guil, president of the World Confederation of Supporters Clubs, also accompanied by other members of the supporters club entity, proceeded to hand out the awards.
In the morning of the first day, the tournament kicked off and the ball didn’t stop rolling until the following evening. It was the fiercest final in the history of the tournament. For the first time ever, the finals of both the U10 and U12 categories ended with a nil-nil draw, which was resolved in a penalty shootout.
The tournament, however, did not have just one final endgame. Although it was important to award the athletes with the best results in terms of the number of goals, so was recognising the players who met the standards of fair play that govern the Club. A perfect display of the respect between players was the applause that broke out between the winning teams and the finalists, in a clear demonstration of the wonderful atmosphere that had dominated the tournament.
In the U10 category, PB Vendrell i Baix Penedès emerged as the final victors of the 7-a-side Football Tournament after defeating PB Navàs. On the other hand, first prize in the U12 category went to the Peña Leonesa FC Barcelona, after their defeat of the PB Comarques de València i la Marina Alta
A GAME OF VALUES AND COMRADESHIP The prizegiving ceremony took place after the final matches on the evening of the 14th. With parents packing the stands and the children congregated on the pitch, Pau Vilanova, board member of
The players who showed the best demonstration of clean play, and fair play towards their teammates and participating teams, were awarded the Josep Maria Profitós trophy, named in honour of the man who started the tournament. This year the representatives of FC Barcelona handed the award to the Penya Barcelonista d’Arbúcies, from the Federation of Supporters Clubs for el Gironès, la Selva and la Garrotxa, and the Federation of Terres de l’Ebre.
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U12 CATEGORY
U10 CATEGORY
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1. PB VENDRELL I BAIX PENEDÈS
1. PEÑA LEONESA FC BARCELONA
2. PB NAVÀS
(FED. OF BAGES, EL BERGUEDÀ AND LA CERDANYA)
2. FEDERATION OF THE COUNTIES OF VALENCIA AND LA MARINA ALTA
3. PB ARTESA DE SEGRE I COMARCA
3. PB TÀRREGA
(FEDERATION OF TARRAGONA NORD)
(FEDERATION OFCASTILE AND LEÓN)
4. FEDERATION OF LES TERRES DE L’EBRE 5. PENYA LLEONESA FC BARCELONA (FEDERATION OF CASTILE AND LEÓN) 6. PB TOTANA PB (FEDERATION OF MURCIA) 7. PB TÀRREGA (FEDERATION OF SOUTH LLEIDA) 8. PB ARTESA DE SEGRE I COMARCA (FEDERATION OF PONENT NORD) 9. PB CINC COPES (FEDERATION OF BARCELONÈS EST) 10. PENYA BARCELONISTA DE ARBÚCIES (FED. OF EL GIRONÈS, LA SELVA AND LA GARROTXA) Josep Maria Profitós Trophy for Fair Play: PENYA BARCELONISTA DE ARBÚCIES (FEDERATION OF EL GIRONÈS, LA SELVA AND LA GARROTXA) Highest scoring team: PB VENDRELL I BAIX PENEDÈS (FEDERATION OF TARRAGONA NORD) Team with least goals conceded: PB VENDRELL I BAIX PENEDÈS (FEDERATION OF TARRAGONA NORD)
(FEDERATION OF SOUTH LLEIDA)
T A B L E
T A B L E
(FEDERATION OF PONENT NORD)
4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
PB ARTESA DE SEGRE I COMARCA (FEDERATION OF PONENT NORD) PB NAVÀS (FED. OF BAGES, EL BERGUEDÀ AND LA CERDANYA) PB DE CONSTANTÍ (FEDERATION OF TARRAGONA NORD) PB TOTANA (FEDERATION OF MURCIA) FEDERATION OF LES TERRES DE L’EBRE FEDERATION OF EL MARESME
Josep Maria Profitós Trophy for Fair Play: FEDERATION OF LES TERRES DE L’EBRE Highest scoring team: PEÑA LEONESA FC BARCELONA (FEDERATION OF CASTILLA Y LEÓN) Team with least goals conceded: PB ARTESA DE SEGRE I COMARCA (FEDERATION OF PONENT NORD)
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CARD TOURNAMENT HISTORY AND BLAUGRANA PASSION, A CHARACTERISTIC COMBINATION IN THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE WORLD CONGRESS OF SUPPORTERS CLUBS For yet another year, the VII Card Tournament and popular dinner became the two main events for promoting passion and comradeship among penyistes from all over the world. The 14th of August was the date chosen by the Confederation of Supporters Clubs for all participants in the Congress to celebrate these activities, which have now become a sacred tradition in this international supporters club meeting.
A VII CARD TOURNAMENT WITH RECORD ATTENDANCE The day kicked off with the eagerly awaited card tournament. Auditorium 1899 opened its doors to welcome the recordbreaking 78 pairs who wanted to participate in the seventh edition of the tournament. The hugely successful tournament was made possible thanks to the president of the Federation of Supporters Clubs of Ponent Nord, Pere Mentruit, who is the main organiser and promoter of the competition, along with his collaborators. Penyistes and members from all over the world come together to enjoy one of the most traditional and popular games in Catalan culture: the botifarra. Through this competition, participants are fully immersed in Catalan tradition and blaugrana spirit for a large part of the day. The game took place over the course of the whole afternoon, in tandem with the 7-a-side Football Tournament, which also took place on the 14th. As was the case with the football tournament, some participants of the card tournament had to get through a knockout round at their respective Federations or supporters clubs. After hours of concentration and adrenaline, the VII Card Tournament was eventually won by the pair formed by Sergi Montraveta and Jordi Batllebó, members of the Penya Barcelonista Solsona i Comarca, who represent the Federation of Supporters Clubs of Ponent Nord. In second and third place respectively, were the pairs formed by Jordi Aymerich and Salvador Casanoves, from the Penya Barça de la Cerdanya corresponding to the Federation of Supporters Clubs of Bages, el Berguedà and Cerdanya, and the pair formed by Xavier Fonoll and Alejandro José Armengol of the Ciberpenya Blaugrana, from the World Federation.
LIST OF PARTICIPATING SUPPORTERS CLUBS
Card tournament and popular dinner: the standard bearers of supporters club tradition
CIBERPENYA BLAUGRANA PENYA BARCELONISTA DE CALAF I COMARCA PENYA BARCELONISTA DISTRICTE XXVII LA SAGRERA PENYA BARCELONISTA SOLSONA I COMARCA PENYA BLAUGRANA DE FIGARÓ-MONTMANY PENYA BLAUGRANA DE PERAMOLA I COMARCA PENYA BARCELONISTA PUIGVERD DE LLEIDA PENYA BARCELONISTA DE LLINARS DEL VALLÈS PENYA BLAUGRANA STA. MARGARIDA DE MONTBUI PENYA BARCELONISTA DE SITGES PENYA BLAUGRANA D’AVINYÓ PENYA BARCELONISTA DE TORREBESSES PENYA BLAUGRANA SANT BOI DE LLUÇANÈS PENYA BARCELONISTA DE TORRELAMEU PENYA BARÇA CAMBRILS PENYA BARCELONISTA ANTONI CAMPS PENYA BARCELONISTA L’ALBA DEL VALLÈS PENYA BARCELONISTA PUIGCERDÀ PENYA BARCELONISTA PUIGVERD DE LLEIDA PENYA BARCELONISTA FONTALBA D’ULLDEMOLINS PENYA BARCELONISTA TÀRREGA PENYA BARÇA DE LA CERDANYA PENYA BLAUGRANA LES CORTS PENYA BARCELONISTA URGELLENCA PENYA BARCELONISTA DE BATEA PENYA BARCELONISTA DE PALLEJÀ PENYA BARCELONISTA D’ARBÚCIES PALS BLAU I GRANA PENYA BARCELONISTA EL REPARTIDOR DE L’HOSPITALET PENYA BARCELONISTA MONTGRÍ I COMARCA PENYA BLAUGRANA DE MADRID PENYA BARCELONISTA VILANOVA PENYA BARCELONISTA RIUDECANYES PENYA BARCELONISTA LA BISBAL D’EMPORDÀ PENYA BARCELONISTA VILAMAJOR’S
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POPULAR DIN
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NNER A POPULAR DINNER SEASONED WITH BLAUGRANA SPIRIT After an intense, activity-packed day came the most eagerly awaited reward for penyistes: the popular dinner, which was catered by the excellent Molí de l’Escala. The FC Barcelona facilities provided the perfect venue for a meal that brought some 700 penyistes and guests together in an unbeatable setting, with the stadium acting as a backdrop. During the event, the attendees shared their experiences in a relaxed and festive atmosphere which included various musical performances. One of these was an outstanding performance by Xènia, member of the Penya de Golmés, who at just 13 years of age managed to move all the penyistes and members with a spectacular rendition of the FC Barcelona anthem. The unique event was attended by the first vice-president of FC Barcelona, Jordi Cardoner; board member Pau Vilanova; the president of the Confederation, Antoni Guil, and other representatives from both organisations. Blaugrana passion and consecrated traditions were the main dishes served in a meal that has now become a tradition and is the prefect prelude to the World Congress of Supporters Clubs, which took place the following day at the Palau de Congressos de Catalunya.
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FUTBOL GAMES
T OUR N AMENT Blaugrana passion at the controls
ETHE 7th PENYES FUTBOL GAMES TOURNAMENT REINVENTED ITSELF WITH A CHANGE IN LOGISTICS: THE PROLONGATION OF THE COMPETITION IN THE MONTHS PRIOR TO THE WORLD CONGRESS OF SUPPORTERS CLUBS WITH KNOCKOUT ROUNDS
Dexterity with the joystick and a passion for football are the key requisites for participating in the now traditional Futbol Games Tournament, which this year celebrated its 7th edition. This time, however, an added incentive was thrown into the mix: persistence. Last season, the World Confederation of Supporters Clubs decided to reinvent and professionalise the competition, with the inclusion of knockout rounds that took place in the months leading up to the Congress.
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A record number of some eighty children tried their hand at Pro Evolution Soccer 2019 (PES19), the videogame by Japanese company Konami, a sponsor of FC Barcelona and the Confederation, in a day that was based on a passion for football in the digital sense - and healthy competition.
A SEVENTH EDITION THAT DIDN’T WANT TO CONFORM TO A SINGLE DAY In order to qualify for the competition, which took place over the six months leading up to the 39th World Congress of Supporters Clubs, the young digital football fans, ranging from 8-18 years of age, fought with everything they had to get through an individual preliminary round that gave way to the grand finale. Only the first four qualifiers of each Federation, young blaugrana supporters who had played the preliminary rounds at their Federations around Catalonia, made it to the final stage. With this incentive the Confederation once again demonstrated the professionalism and logistical capacity of a movement that grows larger and more modern by the day.
THE KEY TO THE SUCCESS IN THE GRAND FINALE: TEAMWORK On August 15th and to coincide with the Congress, Auditorium 1899 prepared to host the eagerly awaited final. The contestants who had qualified for the final stage arrived at Camp Nou ready to fight to the last, this time by combining individual talent with teamwork. While two players competed individually, the remaining two did so in pairs, playing the matches two against two. By using this formula, the tournament promoted the value that forms the backbone of FC Barcelona: teamwork. With this modus operandi, the Federation with the highest number of wins made it through to the next round, giving them the opportunity to be proclaimed winners the 7th Penyes Futbol Games Tournament. Effort and perseverance were the main themes of the competition, which ended in victory for the Supporters Club Federation of Maresme. The runners up, in second and third place respectively, were: the Federation of Anoia, El Penedès and El Garraf, and the Federation of El Gironès, La Selva and La Garrotxa. The players of the U19 category, Nil Mortimer, Antonio Jesús Catón and Josep Jaume Martínez, gave out the prizes accompanied by coach Denis Silva, who made sure not to miss the event. All in all, the 7th edition of the Futbol Games Tournament was a day where comradeship in digital format took centre stage.
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Details of the new supporters club regulations. During the last World Congress of Supporters Clubs, representatives from the supporters clubs of each Federation approved the new supporters club regulations, those that bring the rules of operation up to date in response to the growth experienced by the movement in recent years. With the ultimate goal of continuing to foster and promote
the Barรงa sentiment, this update was required in order to adapt the activity of the movement to the creation of the World Confederation of Supporters Clubs, in 2015, and the recognition and organisation of the Territorial Federations and their supporters clubs. The main features of the regulations are as follows:
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1.
A new process for officialising supporters clubs The supporters club movement is growing daily and on an international scale. For this reason, it is essential to establish a formal and recognised process for the requirements of establishing a supporters club. This process includes, among other aspects: • The constitution as an association in compliance with the relevant laws. • A minimum number of members with respect to the number of inhabitants of the town or municipality where the supporters club is to be constituted. • The requirement that the supporters club president must be a member of FC Barcelona or hold a FC Barcelona commitment card. • A board of directors formed, at the very least, by a president, secretary and treasurer. • For supporters clubs in Catalonia, a minimum of five members who are commitment card holders or members of FC Barcelona. • Premises in which to undertake the activities. • A name for the supporters club that must contain a reference both to FC Barcelona and the area where the activity will take place.
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Organisation and operation of supporters clubs The new regulations includes all the information relating to the following supporters club aspects: • General Assembly and Board of Directors • Rights and obligations of supporters clubs and their members. • Celebrations and events.
3.
A new disciplinary regulation To promote the well-being of the movement and its members, the new supporters club regulations include disciplinary norms for the correction of disciplinary infractions that may affect, in the long run, the activity of the territorial federations, supporters clubs and members. These are divided into three major categories: • Minor infractions. • Serious infractions. • Very serious infractions.
Consensual and approved regulations The regulations, a necessary and useful tool for all those who form part of the supporters club movement, were approved by: • All the supporters clubs. • All the supporters club Federations. • The Supporters Club Council and World Confederation of Supporters Clubs. • The World Congress of Supporters Clubs.
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“WE NEED TO HELP UNICEF, BUT ALSO WORK FOR OUR OWN PEOPLE” Controversial, nun, Dominican, Argentinian, culer, talkative, vitalist, football fan, courageous, entrepreneur... Sister Lucía Caram is all these and probably a whole lot more. After speaking to her, you’re left with the impression that if she didn’t already exist, somebody would need to invent her.
W
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The fifth of seven siblings, born in Tucumán (Argentina), she’s lived in Catalonia for the past 27 years, where she’s won the hearts of the people and earned recognition with awards such as Catalan of the Year (2014), and the Cross of Saint George (2018). “They say I’m controversial because I say what I think...and at times I don’t think before I speak. But I do think! At times even too much. I’m just verbally incontinent. My friend Risto Mejide says: ‘If you haven’t upset anybody, you haven’t said anything worth saying.’ This is what happens sometimes. There are some things that need to be said. I don’t set out to upset anybody, just to raise awareness. Some people believe it’s better to keep quiet, but when you’ve got nothing to lose it’s better to speak out.” The problem is that we’re not used to outspoken nuns. In the same way that we’re not used to nuns who share your passion for football... I’m Argentinian and football runs in my veins. I’m also getting older, and when you get older your quirks become more noticeable. As a child I loved football, but now I’m older I love it even more. I also arrived in Catalonia to find it’s got the best team in the world, and even a fellow compatriot as special as Messi, something that brings all that passion back to the surface. An Argentinian Pope, and three of the world’s best players have been Argentinian... Did you make a deal with somebody? I believe God is Argentinian. We’ve been told he’s from somewhere else, but I’m sure he’s Argentinian. That’s why the country’s the way it is. Not even God can fix Argentina; nobody’s a prophet in his own land. There are too many Argentinians together. Messi is
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not appreciated, nor is Pope Francis...the Catalans are critical, but in the end they all pull together to move in the same direction. In Argentina the people become divided and end up destroying each other. In Catalonia there’s a work ethic, a sense of team spirit... and neither have we been helped much by the governments who have allowed the people to live from the state with a populism that’s spread to other Latin American countries, such as Cuba and Venezuela. Those people have become accustomed to not working. But the Catalans, especially the culers, let themselves get carried away too. Sometimes it seems as if we’re waiting for a decision just to be able to criticise it. Incidentally, I’ve never heard you criticise the board. We shouldn’t air our dirty linen in public. Barça is an extremely complicated entity with many divisions and interests, and these come to the surface with shocking brutality every time there’s an electoral campaign. I believe we should all work together. I’m sure there are a lot of good people on the board, but good people aren’t always best suited to the task at hand. You collaborate with the Club: with the Barça Foundation, the supporters clubs... do these also ask you about football? It isn’t my job to criticise a signing or action. Although I’ll always disapprove of how the clubs’ hands are tied because of the obscene amounts of money involved. This is part of the football world, isn’t it? Well perhaps, but not the world of sport, because sport is a different thing. I work for Barça to be more than a Club. And for it to be so with the supporters clubs and the Foundation. The Barça passion drives us and motivates us, and there is huge potential to turn things around. This is where I want to make a difference. And at the very least I’ve managed to stand up and be heard. In this sense, as well as in many others, Barça is a bit of an oddity.
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No other club does what Barça does. Anywhere. And also with the conviction it’s done. And I think this is the right way to go. To look after the foundations, the people, the values... and other things too, because people are increasingly able to follow the Club from their homes, and so Barça’s capacity to mobilise is gradually being lost. In the past you may not have felt like going to the stadium, but if you didn’t go you’d miss out on the game. Now if you don’t feel like it, you just switch on the TV. This is going to dilute a great many things. It’s important to keep up this mobilisation, with values. Maybe in a few years’ time, many things that today are fundamental won’t be around. You’ve been around for a long time. Have you managed to change anything? For the past four years we’ve been working with the Club and Pere Mentruit [president of the Federation for Ponent Nord and member of the Solidarity Council of the World Confederation of Supporters Clubs], who believes in us and drives us forward. And we’ve created a transformative program that’s made its mark, and now people are listening to us. It’s very difficult to change the dynamic, but as long as I’m involved I’ll be the entrepreneurial fly in the ointment, or the entrepreneurial nun, who insists that although what we do further afield is very important, we also need to work closer to home. Humanitarian disasters also occur here. Indeed. And I’m not saying that we should stop what we’re doing. I support all the agreements made with UNICEF, which is fighting against child poverty all over the world. Except here. Here there are campaigns and fundraisers. But we play here, with our own people. Barça and the Foundation are powerful enough to create projects that are equally transformative as those carried out by UNICEF, if not more so. But it should be done here, within the territory. This is what we need. To see the capacity we have to do transformative projects here. We mustn’t forget that there are also children here who go hungry, as well as unstructured families and refugees in critical situations. I say yes to FutbolNet all over the world, but here too. And the supporters clubs? Do you collaborate with them? What should be their role in it all? I’ve travelled all around visiting supporters clubs. They’re alive and kicking, with unbeatable values. Barça is more than a Club. And it is so because it has an exceptional capacity for transformation.
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Whenever you travel, wherever you go, you find supporters clubs formed by good people who don’t only support Barça. They work to fight against cancer, against disease, social inequality, and for everything that concerns the people of the territory. This is the power behind the Club. And it’s why we must look after the supporters clubs. Of course we’ll go out and celebrate, but we must use the opportunity to form relationships with good people. The Foundation also needs to take advantage of this motivation. It needs to make itself known. To get closer to the territory. To involve the members, the penyistes and the people and mobilise them in every way that a club such as Barça can. Have you met any of the players personally? I’ve been to visit the hospitals with players. They know who I am and make jokes about the colour of my habit. They ask if I support Madrid because I’m wearing white, and why I couldn’t have chosen a different colour. There are some sensational young men, like Sergi Roberto. And Messi himself, who surprises me at times with a hug. He’s very shy, like Suárez, although maybe a little less so. Messi has matured, he’s taken a step forward. After hearing him speak at the Gamper Cup, I know we’ll win the Champions League. “If he uses his tongue the way he uses his legs...”. If I could ask them to do anything, it would be to not just see the followers as a crowd that cheers them on and maintains their status. I ask them to look them in the
eye and give them a few moments of their time when they’re asked for a photo or autograph. People remember these small details, and it makes the Club even greater. We seem to have a good team. With decent people. We’ve got a great team of good men and a decent coach. They are good people, and this is also important. I’m sure the ones who leave us will be missed. They really enjoy themselves working... Iniesta is certainly missed, and I’m sure Neymar would turn back the clock if he could. Every day is a reminder of what he’s lost. You never stop. You seem to have 28 hours in a day. You’re undoubtedly also involved in another kind of project. What is your dream? To be able to create children’s homes as we did in Manresa. We did it in conjunction with La Caixa, and I’d like to do the same in Girona, Tarragona and Barcelona. It’s the biggest challenge I face. I see how much need there is, and something needs to be done in order to put a stop to these crises. I’ll never be able to wipe out child poverty, I know that, but if we carry on talking and getting people involved, perhaps we’ll be able to resolve a few cases. I’ve no idea how you find time to sleep. Or eat, or relax. You must have to eat in ten minutes flat, because you’ve made time for me between two meetings. And always with a smile on your face. And saying exactly what you think. Even though you’re aware that by not saying it you might avoid an awkward situation.
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HOST THE II PAN-AMERICAN SUPPORTERS CLUB MEETING Coinciding with the tour of FC Barcelona’s first team, supporters clubs from Dallas and San Francisco welcomed hundreds of penyistes, members and fans The United States, one of the countries with the greatest international presence of FC Barcelona supporters clubs, held its Pan-American Supporters Club Meeting for the second consecutive year. To coincide with Barça’s first team tour, at the end of July and beginning of August, the World Confederation of Supporters Clubs held the second edition of this international Meeting, which saw the gathering of hundreds of fans from all over the country. This time, the supporters clubs of Dallas
and San Francisco were the perfect hosts for the penyistes, members and followers who were eager to join the events. A crowded meeting, a record-breaking tailgate party and a celebration of blaugrana passion in true “yankee” style all formed part of the landmark event, which took place in two different stages: first in the great city of Dallas, and then in the international metropolis of San Francisco.
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DALLAS, A HISTORY OF BLAUGRANA PASSION The first place to host the international meeting was the Texan city of Dallas, which has a long history with FC Barcelona. The southern capital held a work day attended by representatives of the Club and the supporters club movement. Josep Maria Barnils; board member in charge of the Social Commission; Antoni Guil, president of the World Confederation of Supporters Clubs; and Antonio Freire, president of the World Federation, were all present at the event. During the meeting, the attendees had the opportunity to discuss the exponential growth of the supporters club movement in the US, and share blaugrana anecdotes and experiences. Following the work day, the Rugby House Pub, headquarters of the Dallas Supporters Club, hosted a crowded reception attended by over 400 penyistes from Canada, the Dominican Republic and the US. It was an event bursting with team spirit, in which they got to share their blaugrana passion with Jordi Moix, Emili Rousaud and Josep Ramon Vidal-Abarca, all members of the Club’s board of directors. The event was also attended by the new managing director of FC Barcelona’s New York office, Xavier O’Callaghan. For almost an hour, the penyistes were also able to take photographs and request autographs from Barça Legend Luis García. During the day, gifts were exchanged between FC Barcelona and the Dallas Supporters Club.
A RECORD-BREAKING TAILGATE PARTY The following day, coinciding with the first team’s game against Roma at the AT&T Stadium, American penyistes showed their passion and support for FC Barcelona by holding a spectacular tailgate party – a typical American celebration in which supporters get together and eat out of the boots of their vehicles to share experiences and celebrate their players. In keeping with the overall success of the Meeting, the event saw a record-breaking participation of over 1,000 blaugrana supporters. As part of the “Penyes and Sport” project, a Penyes Futbol Games Tournament was also organised with the aim of bringing young people closer to supporters clubs. The competition was based on the videogame Pro Evolution Soccer 2018 (PES 2018) from the Japanese company Konami, a sponsor of the Confederation and FC Barcelona.
CLOSING EVENTS IN SAN FRANCISCO The blaugrana celebrations then moved on to the southwest coast of America, where the city of San Francisco, California, became the second place to host the events from August 3. Over 90 supporters took part in an institutional day, which kicked off with a speech by Matt Manson, president of the San Francisco Supporters Club, and ended with a few words from Jordi Cardoner, first vice-president of FC Barcelona, accompanied by the blaugrana representatives from Dallas.
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AN EXAMPLE OF GROWTH AND CONVICTION In 2009, David Goude, an American who married a Catalan woman two decades ago and inherited her love for the Club, embarked on an ambitious project that resulted in the creation of the Dallas Supporters Club, founded with just seven members. Almost 10 years later, the Texan supporters club boasts over 350 penyistes, all with a shared love for the Barça colours and values – a fact which confirms its status as one of the most established blaugrana institutions in the US. Goude currently shares his presidency with Roger Rovira, a Catalan
resident in Texas who didn’t want to miss out on Barça’s US adventure. For its own part, with over 10 years of history under its belt and almost 130 members, the San Francisco Supporters Club is another of the most significant blaugrana entities in the US. It is also one of the most socially active supporters clubs on the west coast, and despite the differences in distance and time, its committed members meet up every week to watch the blaugrana matches.
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THE CONFEDERATION ONCE AGAIN REAFFIRMS ITS COMMUNICATIVE AND CULTURAL COMMITMENT LAST YEAR, THE ENTITY SET THE WHEELS IN MOTION FOR A LARGE NUMBER OF INFORMATIVE TALKS INTENDED TO RAISE AWARENESS AMONG PENYISTES AND FOLLOWERS ABOUT SOCIAL, SPORTING AND CULTURAL ISSUES IN THE CULER ENVIRONMENT In line with its commitment to the dissemination and teaching of blaugrana culture and values, the World Confederation of Supporters Clubs has organised a series of informative talks for Federations and supporters clubs to raise awareness among penyistes and followers about social, sporting and cultural issues related to FC Barcelona. The activities, which seek to bring the local community closer to the blaugrana environment, take place across the territory over the course of the whole season. Supporters clubs interested in holding one of these events can apply through their Federation, with a minimum of one month’s notice. Here we explain the main contents.
Barça Catalonia
Invulnerables
What can you learn? These talks focus on the history of FC Barcelona, giving an overview of the passionate origins of the Club, as well as revealing numerous anecdotes and situations that have changed the course of Barça’s trajectory over the years. Attendees will learn about Barça’s roots, identity, the influence it has had on society at different stages in history and the Club’s relationship with Catalonia and Catalan sentiment.
What can you learn? Aimed at families selected by social services and third-party entities, with these talks the Confederation presents the #Invulnerables project with the assistance of Sister Lucía Caram, the driving force behind the initiative. This programme is designed to fight against child poverty, and works to guarantee equal opportunities for children, to break the cycle of child poverty and promote public-private collaborations. The conference raises awareness about poverty in our territory, and the need to assume co-responsibility with the various social organisations.
Who gives the talk? These high-quality and informative talks were created by a multidisciplinary group formed by Salva Torres, vice-president of the World Confederation of Supporters Clubs; Frederic Porta, writer, journalist and television presenter; Carles Santacana, head of the University of Barcelona’s History Department; Toni Closa, writer, journalist and expert in the history of FC Barcelona; David Melero, history graduate and professor of Social Sciences, and Xavier Gamper, grandson of the founder of FC Barcelona.
Who gives the talk? Well known culer and patron of the Barça Foundation, religious social activist Sister Lucía Caram is a contemplative Dominican nun. She combines prayer, study and community life with social activities that focus on the most vulnerable members of society. She is also the director of the Santa Clara Convent Foundation.
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Debate on current affairs
Former players colloquium
What can you learn? Supporters clubs who’d like to find out about blaugrana current affairs have a golden opportunity with this debate, presented by experienced sports journalists. In an open and confidential environment, they will debate and interact with the attendees about different views and opinions on the Club’s current affairs, as well as touch upon the challenges and opportunities of the future.
What can you learn? The World Confederation of Supporters Clubs, in conjunction with the Barça Players Association, co-ordinates the representation of former FC Barcelona players in debates or talks organised by supporters clubs. Wherever their agenda allows, this initiative will also prioritise representation by a former player from the area of the supporters club that hosts the event.
Who gives the talk? The debate is presented by three prominent journalists who are well-known in blaugrana circles: the founder and former subdirector of Sport newspaper José Luis Carazo; former head of sports at the Televisió de Catalunya from 2004 to 2008 and presenter of various television programmes, Pere Escobar; and wellknown journalist Quique Guasch, who boasts a long career at Televisión Española and radio COPE.
Who gives the talk? Members of the Barça Players Association, the non-profit organisation created in 1959 to help keep the spirit of former FC Barcelona players alive, are the protagonists of these talks that promote visibility and the dissemination of Barça values.
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PB PUIGCERDÀ Almost half a century of history THE ENTITY IS ONE OF THE LARGEST IN THE MOVEMENT IN PROPORTION TO THE NUMBER OF LOCAL INHABITANTS: 430 PENYISTES OUT OF 7,000 VILLAGERS Every Sunday, two penyistes and board members of the Penya Barcelonista de Puigcerdà would head for home via the Carrer Major after a busy day at the social centre, which at the time was located in the Plaça Cabrinetty. As they went by, the locals only needed to look at their faces to know whether Barça had won or not. In the first instance, they would bounce happily up the street and start to prepare for a large celebration. If the result wasn’t favourable, they’d make their way home with long faces that gave away their bad mood and without looking up to greet anybody. Then they’d go straight to bed without even having dinner. These were the times as recalled by Pere Domingo, the current president of the PB de Puigcerdà, one of Barça’s oldest and most consolidated supporters clubs, which in three years’ time will celebrate half a century of history. Over 40 years later, the entity is now one of the largest in the movement with regard to the number of inhabitants in the vicinity. Of a total of 7,000 villagers, 430 are penyistes.
THE ORIGINS OF THE SUPPORTERS CLUB The supporters club was officially founded on May 25, 1971. Several months previously, a group of devoted FC Barcelona supporters realised they needed a venue to watch the matches together. At the time, only very few homes were lucky enough to have a television, and this, along with the desire to be able to talk about the games, celebrate goals and criticise the referee’s actions, led to the decision to constitute a supporters club. And so, 12 locals from Puigcerdà, headed by Pere Isern as the new president of the provisional board, set the ball rolling to officialise the new supporters club.
A DAY TO REMEMBER: THE 1998 WORLD MEETING OF SUPPORTERS CLUBS IN PUIGCERDÀ The blaugrana fans in Puigcerdà still have fond memories of the World Meeting of Supporters Clubs that they organised in 1998, which irrefutably had the best attendance in history. It brought together such a large number of penyistes from all over that life changed for the better in the village and practically the whole region. With the support of FC Barcelona and the Town Hall of Puigcerdà, a wide range of events was organised that included the inauguration of an abstract sculpture by local artist Ernest Altes, which still stands in the Plaça del Rec de Puigcerdà and
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represents a football wrapped in the four bars of the Catalan flag. Needless to say, the day also ended with football as the protagonist: with everybody enjoying the Barça game against Real Madrid on a huge screen installed especially for the occasion.
Some of these activities include sardanes (the traditional Catalan dance) in front of the headquarters, an exhibition of trophies provided by the Club, a gala lunch and a dance. In short, it is a day that is eagerly awaited by the village and that brings together almost a hundred people.
PUIGCERDÀ IS FULL OF LIFE AND BARÇA SENTIMENT 365 DAYS A YEAR
But summer isn’t a time for these blaugrana fans to relax, as in the month of August and to coincide with the parade held in honour of the Puigcerdà lake party, they also participate by presenting a float in which the children are dressed up as Barça players.
About to celebrate its fiftieth anniversary, the supporters club has only ever seen three changes of president. The current president is Pere Domingo i Casanovas, who is proud of how much the entity has grown since its constitution: “There are currently 430 active members. The number of members has increased continuously ever since the club was formed, and the current figure is extremely significant, given that the village has only 7000 inhabitants.” The key to success is undoubtedly the link with the Club, a Barça spirit and sentiment that is shared by every member of the supporters club and encourages the rest of the village to join the movement. The group is most certainly active. It offers two annual trips, up to 12 seats available for penyistes who wish to see a match at Camp Nou, and its headquarters boasts a unique feature: two television rooms for the younger and older members of the entity. This enables the younger members to enjoy the game more passionately, while the latter can watch it in peace. After the game, “the supporters club serves cava and coca (a kind of local cake) in important matches or when Barça wins another title,” explains the president. On May 1 the PB Puigcerdà also dresses up to celebrate the anniversary of its foundation with events that are not only open to the penyistes, but also to the whole village.
THE SUNDAY QUINTO: A SEAL OF IDENTITY One of the most unique and characteristic features of the supporters club is the Sunday quinto, a sort of bingo, which as well as being a way to spend several hours out of the cold in the winter of the Cerdanya, has also become a fundraising event for the supporters club. The game of quinto typical in this region is popular and affordable: you only need to buy one card to play all the games of the evening, and the prizes, instead of cash, include charcuterie, foodstuffs and an array of edible treats. The event brings together some eighty penyistes on Sundays and holidays throughout the year with the exception of July and August. Despite having many years of history already under its belt, the PB Puigcerdà still has enough energy to “celebrate half a century more,” and continues to come up with initiatives that will bring them closer to the village’s social life, such as the creation of a new radio programme which discusses blaugrana affairs hosted on a weekly basis by penyistes at the local radio station.
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“PUIGCERDÀ IS FULL OF LIFE AND BARÇA SENTIMENT
365 DAYS A YEAR” PB PUIGCERDÀ
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PB FUENTEALBILLA The village from La Mancha with the most blaugrana spirit SINCE THE BLAUGRANA SUPPORTERS CLUB WAS OFFICIALISED IN THE VILLAGE IN 2002, ITS INHABITANTS HAVE SHOWN UNCONDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR FC BARCELONA AND FORMER CULER PLAYER ANDRÉS INESTA Over two decades ago, a village from the Spanish region of La Mancha with only 2,000 inhabitants bid farewell to a brave 12-year-old who was heading for Barcelona: Andrés Iniesta. From that moment on, and despite the distance that separates Fuentealbilla from Barcelona, a group of villagers and family members became active supporters of Barça, and of the young player who several years later would become a figurehead for the culers.
THE BIRTH OF A PASSION The blaugrana feeling first took root in a small group of villagers who always met up to watch the Barça games. This group of
friends and relatives started to multiply at the same rate that Andrés Iniesta turned into a benchmark for FC Barcelona, and in January 2002, the village’s Peña Andrés Iniesta was officialised. Iniesta became a figurehead for the village, which describes itself as “culer, but most of all Iniestist.” A feeling that is reciprocated, as thanks to the player most blaugrana supporters on both a national and international scale can now identify Fuentealbilla on the map, a recognition that has encouraged its members to continue to grow and promote initiatives. Last year in fact, this blaugrana movement clocked up a total of 330 members, becoming the largest Barça entity in Castilla La Mancha.
MOMENTS THAT WON’T BE FORGOTTEN Since the beginning, the supporters club members have got together at their headquarters to watch the FC Barcelona games. They have travelled together to support the Club, and organised raffles and dinners. Some events, however, will always hold a special place in their hearts. One of these was the weekend of July 10th, 2015, when the Fuentealbilla locals organised a series of events to support the Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC), which were attended by Andrés Iniesta. Together with other players from Albacete, the blaugrana star gave a colloquium which was followed by a large dinner attended by Silvia Dorschnerova, manager of the Spanish
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“INIESTA’S FAMILY,
BACKBONE OF THE SUPPORTERS CLUB” PB FUENTEALBILLA
Photography: 19Tarrestnom65 / Wikimedia Commons
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National Team. Vicente del Bosque, who was unable to attend for health reasons, also sent a video message which provided the final touch to one of the members’ most fondly remembered initiatives. They also have emotional memories of the most crowded event ever organised: the 2011 meeting of blaugrana supporters clubs that was attended by some 800 fans. Despite having their hands full, members of the supporters club have never forgotten any of Iniesta’s triumphs on the pitch. One of the best remembered moments for the Fuentealbilla penyistes were the events of July 11th, 2010. The fans were watching a nail-biting game take place on the other side of the world, in South Africa, when their colleague scored the winning goal in the World Cup. The members still don’t have the words to describe the euphoria that broke out upon seeing an esteemed local become the maker of a game that was shown all over the world.
INIESTA’S FAMILY, BACKBONE OF THE SUPPORTERS CLUB “The family is an extension of Andrés. They participate in the events and accompany us on our trips to Barcelona.” In fact, supporters club president Andrés Garcia describes how the player’s relatives have been key ever since the beginning, and founding the supporters club has been just one of their many feats. García recalls the day when, thanks to Iniesta’s father, he witnessed the Club’s Champions League victory in the company of the first team players, an experience he’ll never forget. These sincere and humble gestures have consolidated the supporters club movement in the village as a close-knit family that
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grows larger by the day, and this in turn has brought them closer to the blaugrana colours.
THE FUTURE OF THE SUPPORTERS CLUB Last spring, the manchego player played his last match in the blaugrana colours at Camp Nou. Watched by his unconditional supporters, Iniesta bid farewell to the Club of his dreams 22 years after first joining them. The president of the PB Fuentealbilla describes Iniesta’s departure to Japan as being “like the oriental cuisine, sweet and sour.” On the one hand, it’s sad to think that the distance will prevent them from watching their idol in real time. But on the other, they are extremely happy to know that he ended his career as a premier footballer in the way he had always hoped: at Barça, with an unbeatable farewell and a Copa del Rey goal against Seville watched by the 60 plus Fuentealbilla penyistes who’d travelled to Barcelona especially for the occasion. The members of the entity are optimistic and will continue to follow their colleague wherever he goes. In fact, the bravest and most intrepid among them are already planning a trip to Japan next May so they can enjoy a few days with the player. And although Andrés Iniesta is no longer part of the Club, members of the PB Fuentealbilla will be eternally grateful to Barça; its trainers, who believed in Andrés enough to allow him to follow his dream; and above all, to his unconditional supporters, and they’ll continue to follow the FC Barcelona games.
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PB SAINT PETERSBURG An intrepid road trip from Russia to Barcelona THE RUSSIAN ENTITY TRAVELLED 10,000 KILOMETRES ACROSS 10 COUNTRIES TO ATTEND THE 39th WORLD CONGRESS OF SUPPORTERS CLUBS IN A UNIQUE TRIP THAT INTRODUCED THEM TO 10 SUPPORTERS CLUB ENTITIES During the last World Cup, dozens of FC Barcelona penyistes from all around travelled to the host country of Russia to support the Spanish team, which this year included many blaugrana players. Far from merely anecdotal, this mobilisation was the result of an initiative that will be remembered for its tenderness and peculiarity, and rather than being the simple mobilisation of blaugrana pride, this journey formed a bridged between Catalan penyistes and the Penya Blaugrana of Saint Petersburg. A bridge which culminated, in the middle of summer, in an intrepid road trip that brought the Russian penyistes to Barcelona to attend the 39th World Congress of Supporters Clubs. “Our journey is proof that no distance, political differences or racial prejudice can get in the way of a friendship,” stated George
Nemykin, president of the PB of Saint Petersburg, still emotional after returning to Russia following the unforgettable experience. As it happens, the Russian supporters club organised a completely unconventional road trip: a car journey that covered over 10,000 kilometres with the unique and exclusive goal of following the team of their dreams and getting better acquainted with national and international supporters. According to Nemykin, the Barça hymn contains a clear message that became the motto of their trip: “Si del sud o del nord, ara estem d’acord” [“Whether from the south or north, now we all agree”].
A UNIQUE TRIP FULL OF COMRADESHIP Eight people took part in the adventure that commenced in Saint Petersburg at the beginning of August. With two cars decorated with Barça motifs especially for the occasion, the Russian culers set off on a 10-day journey to the Catalan capital, determined to arrive on time for the World Congress of Supporters Clubs. During the trip, the Saint Petersburg culers set themselves a challenge: to meet the blaugrana supporters clubs they came across en route to share their experiences and passion for football that unites them. To do this, the supporters club contacted 10 international entities from Poland, Belgium, France and Catalonia, all of whom welcomed the Russian fans with open
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“A UNIQUE TRIP
FULL OF COMRADESHIP” PB SAINT PETERSBURG
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arms. A combination of cultures, united by passion, that exemplified the values preached by FC Barcelona and which were put into practice by the selfless supporters committed to the Club. As Nemykin explains it: “It’s wonderful that there are penyistes and friends all over the world who are delighted for us to visit them.” After the long trip, the supporters club president feels deeply proud of the enthusiasm and perseverance shown by the entity he represents, but above all he is grateful to all the penyistes who pulled together to make this a unique experience, and to the World Confederation of Supporters Clubs for their assistance during the trip.
A YOUNG RUSSIAN SUPPORTERS CLUB HIGHLY REGARDED IN CATALONIA Russia currently has three Barça supporters clubs, of which the PB Saint Petersburg is the oldest. Founded in 2016, just two years later it now boasts some 200 members. While the main goal of the Saint Petersburg entity was to attend the World Congress of Supporters Club, this wasn’t their only stop. The fans also made an eagerly awaited final stopover at the Penya Blaugrana Móra d’Ebre, whom they consider as family. “They are our Catalan brothers, and we visit them every year,” says Nemykin. This is because in 2016 the Town Hall of Móra d’Ebre signed an official fellowship agreement with the PB Saint Petersburg, who from then on they’ve always visited prior to the Congress. The Russian president concludes: “This fraternity is something
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extraordinary, one of those things that happens once in a lifetime and is a clear example of friendship without borders.” As well as the supporters club from Móra d’Ebre, the PB Saint Petersburg is also highly regarded by the PB Marc Bartra of Sant Jaume dels Domenys. Some time ago, the members of the Catalan supporters club travelled to Saint Petersburg, while this year the Russian penyistes visited the Catalan town and supporters club for the first time. All in all, the Russian penyistes will always have fond memories of this European road trip, and they promise to surprise us again next year. A commitment that the president of the supporters club confirms with a shout of: “Long live Barça! Long live the supporters clubs and long live Catalonia!”
10 SUPPORTERS CLUBS VISITED AS PART OF AN UNFORGETTABLE JOURNEY FAN CLUB BARÇA POLSKA PENYA FANATIEK FC BARCELONA PENYA BARCELONISTA DE GANT PENNIA BARCELONISTA KNOKKE-HEIST PENYA “BLAUGRANOR” DEL NORD DE FRANÇA PENYA BLAUGRANA DE PARIS PENYA BLAU DE LIÓ PENYA BARCELONISTA DE NAVÀS PENYA BLAUGRANA MARC BARTRA DE SANT JAUME DELS DOLMENYS PENYA BLAUGRANA MÓRA D’EBRE
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CASTILLA Y LEÓN Supporters club meeting in Villanubla
Antoni Guil joins the 16th Meeting of Barça Supporters Clubs from Castilla y León SOME 240 PENYISTES FROM CASTILE AND LEÓN CELEBRATED THE MEETING AHEAD OF THE FIRST TEAM GAME IN VALLADOLID On Saturday August 25th, Villanubla (Valladolid) hosted the 16th Meeting of Barça Supporters Clubs from Castilla y León. The first stop of the day took place at the town’s Casa Cultural, where they were joined by Antoni Guil, president of the World Confederation of Supporters Clubs. The morning commenced with an informative meeting held by the Federation of Supporters Clubs of Castilla y
León, followed by a presentation by Guil of the Confederation’s 2016-21 Strategic Plan. At twelve thirty, Juan Carlos Rodríguez, former player and member of the Barça Players Association, joined the party just in time to attend the meeting’s opening ceremony, presented by journalist Alfredo Martínez. A 13h the Barça Peñas Castilla y León awards ceremony took place, followed by a speech by Nicolás Pérez, in which he dedicated a few words to former Barça president Sandro Rossell. After moving on to the restaurant El Parador, the president of the World Confederation of Supporters Clubs, Antoni Guil, along with former player Juan Carlos Rodríguez, witnessed the exchange of commemorative and solidary gifts, and participated in the traditional round of speeches. In representation of the supporters club movement was the president of the Federation of Supporters Clubs of Castilla y León, Nicolás Pérez, and the presidents of the federations of Cantabria and Asturias, Madrid, the Basque Country and Extremadura.
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TARRAGONA NORD The PB del Baix Camp, host of the event
Pau Vilanova attends the 17th Meeting of Supporters Clubs of Tarragona Nord A TOTAL OF 29 SUPPORTERS CLUBS WERE UNITED IN TARRAGONA IN A FESTIVE BLAUGRANA ATMOSPHERE On July 1st, the Penya Barcelonista del Baix Camp held its 17th Meeting of FC Barcelona Supporters Clubs of Tarragona Nord. A modernist tour through the city of Reus kicked off a day full of comradeship and blaugrana spirit. FC Barcelona board member
and former player and member of the Barça Players Association Ramon M. Calderé made sure not to miss the event, joining the penyistes at lunchtime at the restaurant Mas de Sedó, which hosted a colloquium on the influence of politics in sport. The debate gave way to a round of speeches from the representatives of the supporters clubs, the Club and institutional figures, and ended with the presentation of commemorative gifts and a lunch for over 200 attendees. The meeting was also attended by a guest of honour, ex-president of the Catalan Parliament Ernest Benach, accompanied by the mayor of Reus, Carles Pellicer. Representing the supporters clubs, the meeting was hosted by the president of the PB Baix Camp, Antonio Sánchez, and the president of the Federation of Supporters Clubs of Tarragona Nord, Josep Borrull.
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MOROCCO Meeting in Tangier
Supporters clubs from Morocco hold a dinner to celebrate the Spanish Super Cup THE DAY WAS A DEMONSTRATION OF THE GROWTH AND SOLIDITY OF THE FC BARCELONA SUPPORTERS CLUB MOVEMENT ON AN INTERNATIONAL SCALE
On Saturday August 11th, the city of Tangier hosted a dinner organised by the supporters clubs of Morocco, to mark the occasion of the first team’s arrival for the Spanish Super Cup final. The event was attended by Ramon Térmens, the FC Barcelona supporters club ombudsman, who travelled to the country to share an evening of comradeship with representatives from the Moroccan supporters clubs at the Tangier Golf Club. After the dinner gifts were exchanged between the Moroccan entities and FC Barcelona. After Spain, Morocco is the country with the most blaugrana supporters clubs, with eight that are already official and active and three in the process of being formalised. In this context, the Moroccan penyistes created an atmosphere full of comradeship and blaugrana spirit to receive the first team players for the Super Cup match in Tangier. Over 700 culers wore the commemorative shirt of the final to reveal an impressive mosaic. All to assist the team in a victory that constituted the first title of the season.
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BARCELONA A crowded final
The Agrupació de Penyes ends the season at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper THE ENTITY CONSTITUTES OVER 200 TEAMS AND 13,000 PLAYERS WHO COMPETE EACH YEAR IN THE COLOURS OF THEIR BLAUGRANA SUPPORTERS CLUBS
On July 7th, the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper hosted the finals of the Agrupació de Clubs i Penyes del FC Barcelona Tournament, which ended the season with 20 teams from the U10, U12 and U14 categories celebrating in a festive and crowded environment. The day began with the games of the youngest players, the U10 category, which ended in victory for the UB Catalonia after a match against ADB Collblanc. At noon it was the turn of the U12, a category which saw two victors: the CB Terlenka in the first group, and the PB Sant Just de Trajana in the second. Finally came the U14 category, the eldest of the three, in which first place was awarded to the APB Anguera. The tournament was attended by FC Barcelona board member Pau Vilanova, who was determined not to miss the event. After the tournament came the prizegiving ceremony, courtesy of Lluís Monràs, president of the Agrupació de Penyes; Daniel Sala, board member of FC Barcelona’s Social Commission in charge of supporters clubs, and former player Paco Clos.
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BURKINA FASO New expedition to Africa
Success of the second solidarity trip of FPB Barcelonès to Burkina Faso FOR THE SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR, THE BARÇA PENYISTES VISITED THEIR TWINNED VILLAGES IN THE COUNTRY AND OBSERVED THE RESULTS OF THEIR SOLIDARITY WORK IN THE AREA Once again, the members of the FPB Barcelonès Est travelled to Burkina Faso on a solidarity trip that is now becoming tradition. On arrival, the blaugrana fans greeted the political and traditional authorities of the country, including His Majesty Moogho Naaba
Baongo, who received the party at his palace following a ceremony that takes place every Friday. Such was the country’s enthusiasm for the arrival of the culers that even the Secretary of State was determined not to miss the event. The minister thanked them for their visit, but above all for the solidarity work carried out by the Barça supporters clubs for the improvement and development of the country. In fact, this year the penyistes have sent over five boxes and some 300kg of school supplies, hygiene equipment, football boots, footballs and shirts, among other materials. The Federation and its supporters clubs also collected some 1,250kg of cornflour and 1,250kg of local rice to be distributed in Bousse and the neighbourhoods of Gonghin and Larle in Ouagadougou. Aside from the solidary activities and visits to the villages twinned with supporters clubs from the Federation of Barcelonès East, the trip to Burkina Faso also made room for sport, a fundamental element of the affiliation between Catalan supporters clubs and local fans. Football and basketball matches and games of pétanque for people of all ages completed the activities of these solidary days in Burkina Faso.
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TIERRAS DEL EBRO A quarter of a century of history
The Penya Barcelonista de Gandesa celebrates its 25th anniversary A TOTAL OF 35 SUPPORTERS CLUBS FROM THE FEDERATION OF LES TERRES DE L’EBRE ATTENDED THE ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS On July 7th, the Penya Barcelonista Gandesa celebrated a quarter of a century of history. The day kicked off at 17h with the ‘Show Trident’ colloquium on current blaugrana affairs,
moderated by sports journalist Quique Guasch. Journalists Pere Escobar and José Luís Carazo also participated in the event. The celebrations continued at Gandesa Town Hall, where the party was joined by Board Member Xavier Vilajoana and former player and member of the Barça Players Association, Pere Valentí Mora. At 19h the attendees enjoyed a guided tour of the Gandesa’s Cooperative Winery, and the day wrapped up with a commemorative dinner attended by a total of 200 penyistes and representatives, a turnout which demonstrates the strength and significance of the supporters club movement. All in all, Gandesa was the ideal place for participants to share in a festive blaugrana atmosphere fitting of the occasion in hand. The event wrapped up with a homage to the former presidents and members of the supporters club’s board of directors.
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EUSKADI Meeting and anniversary in the Basque Country
The Penya Barcelonista de Pasaia La Bahia celebrates its 10th anniversary at the 9th Meeting of Supporters Clubs from the Basque Country JORDI CARDONER ATTENDED THE MEETING’S OFFICIAL DINNER AHEAD OF THE BARÇA-REAL SOCIEDAD GAME
To mark the occasion of the 9th Meeting of Supporters Clubs from the Basque Country and the first team’s Liga game against Real Sociedad in San Sebastián, vice-president Jordi Cardoner i Casaus attended the official dinner of the meeting and the 10th anniversary of the Penya Barcelonista de Pasaia La Bahia. Hosted by the Sociedad Gastronomica Lagunak, the dinner was also attended by FC Barcelona board members Silvio Elías and Josep Pont, accompanied by former player and member of the Barça Players Association, Ricardo Serna. Joaquin Saborido, president of PB Pasaia La Bahia, and Gorka Muñoz, president of the Federation of Supporters Clubs of the Basque country, thanked the FC Barcelona board members for attending a day of great importance to the Basque supporters clubs movement. At the end of the day, the host supporters club presented a commemorative gift to vice-president Jordi Cardoner and former player Ricardo Serna.
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GIRONA Special anniversary in Girona
Josep Maria Bartomeu and Jordi Cardoner celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Penya Barcelonista Santa Coloma de Farners THE PRESIDENT OF FC BARCELONA CONGRATULATED THE ENTITY ON BEING THE FIRST IN GIRONA TO CELEBRATE HALF A CENTURY OF HISTORY On September 2nd, the Club congratulated the members of the Penya Barcelonista Santa Coloma de Farners on the occasion of its 50th anniversary. President Josep Maria Bartomeu,
accompanied by first vice-president, Jordi Cardoner, received over 60 members of the club and its president, Salvador Esparch, at Camp Nou’s Auditorium 1899, shortly before the Liga game between FC Barcelona and Huesca. During the event, the Barça president highlighted the importance of this anniversary for being the first supporters club entity in the province of Girona to celebrate 50 years of history. On his side, Cardoner paid homage to “those who are no longer with us,” but who played a vital role in the birth and growth of the supporters club. The event was also attended by Antoni Guil, president of the World Confederation of Supporters Clubs; Joaquim Vall·llosera, president of the Federation of Supporters clubs of Girona, la Selva, la Garrotxa and the Pla de l’Estany; Josep Maria Fusté, former player and member of the Barça Players Association, and representatives from the Club’s social and supporters club commissions, Daniel Sala and Xavier Ilincheta respectively. Institutional representation was provided by Jordi Sitjà, the town sports councillor.
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MENORCA Supporters club celebration in Menorca
Jordi Cardoner visits the Penya Barcelonista de Ciutadella
Afterwards, the participants moved on to the Ciutadella’s Sailing Club, which hosted a “double dinner” to commemorate the Liga and Copa del Rey titles of last season. A hundred penyistes enjoyed a meal that wrapped up with speeches from Carles Gener, Òscar Escoda, Miquel Àngel Nadal and Jordi Cardoner.
THE FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT OF FC BARCELONA AND FORMER PLAYER MIQUEL ÀNGEL NADAL BOTH ATTENDED THE EVENT On August 11th, Jordi Cardoner i Casaus and Miquel Àngel Nadal made the most of their summer holidays by attending the 34th anniversary celebrations of the Penya Barcelonista de Ciutadella, an entity with 1,000 members. They signed the book of honour in the presence of the supporters club president, Carles Gener, and the president of the Federation of Supporters Clubs of the Balearic Islands, Òscar Escoda.
OSONA-RIPOLLÈS Anniversary and meeting in Osona
The 15th Meeting of Supporters clubs of Osona and El Ripollès coincides with the 10th anniversary of the PB Sant Boi de Lluçanès
A TOTAL OF 18 SUPPORTERS CLUBS ATTENDED THE EVENT TO MARK THE HOST ENTITY’S DECADE OF HISTORY On July 1st, the Penya Blaugrana de Sant Boi de Lluçanès celebrated its tenth anniversary by hosting the 15th Meeting of Barça Supporters Clubs of Osona and el Ripollès. The day kicked off at noon with the arrival at the town hall of Josep Ramon VidalAbarca, member of FC Barcelona’s Board of Directors, and Pere Valentí Mora, former player and member of the Barça Players Association. The meeting was also attended by an icon of the Barça supporters club movement: Joan Casals, the avi del Barça. After some refreshments provided courtesy of the town hall, the attendees moved on to the municipal sports centre, where the 18 participating supporters clubs received a commemorative gift. Speeches from the supporters club representatives were followed by a lunch to commemorate the 15th meeting and 10th anniversary of the host supporters club, attended by some 120 people. Representing the supporters club movement and host supporters club was Josep Cerbrià, president of the PB St. Boi de Lluçanès; Francesc Xavier Canudas, president of the Federation of Osona and el Ripollès, and Ramon Burniol, president of the Federation of Bages, el Berguedà and la Cerdanya. The mayor of Sant Boi, Josep M. Masramon, and parish priest, Monsignor Felip Soldevila, also made sure not to miss the event.