This week, FC Barcelona has passed the milestone of 20 million followers of its official Instagram account (@fcbarcelona), making it the first club or competition to achieve the feat. As it continues to lead the world on social networks, Barça is top on Instagram, comfortably ahead of Real Madrid (18 million) and the NBA (nearly 10 million).

FC Barcelona has consolidated its position in 2015, with 14.3 million new users in just nine months. The Instagram account was launched on 15 January 2013 with a photo of the squad that season, and since then over 5,900 images and videos have been posted. The photos of the Champions League Final in Berlin have been the most popular so far, accumulating a massive 700,000 ‘likes’.

FCB are 27th overall on Instagram, in a list largely dominated by American singers and celebrities. But there are also four FC Barcelona players in the Top 100: Neymar (@Neymarjr) is the leading sportsperson with 32 million followers, while Leo Messi (@leoMessi) has 25 million, Dani Alves (@Dani2dois) has 7 million and Andrés Iniesta (@andresiniesta8) has over 6 million.

The club also has an official account for the other sports teams (@FCBseccions), which focuses on the activities of the basketball, handball, roller hockey and futsal teams.

FC Barcelona continues to blow away the opposition on social networks. Just a few days ago, the club announced that it has over 200 million different followers on all networks, a figure no other sports club can boast. It has over 40 different accounts on twelve different channels (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LINE, YouTube, Dailymotion, Vine, Sina Weibo, Tencent Weibo, WeChat).

September is over and FC Barcelona go into October with plenty of optimism. Here’s a look back at another action packed month at the club, through this selection of the best videos.

Champions League gets started

FC Barcelona started on the long road to reclaiming the Champions League trophy, something no club has ever done since the new format was introduced. Before the first game against AS Roma, this video commemorated the return of the top continental competition, as well as honouring the previous edition that was won in such magnificent fashion in Berlin.

In this game, Leo Messi was in the starting line-up to make his 100th Champions League appearance. This was a musical tribute to the player that looks back at some of his many finest hours in the tournament:

Two weeks later, the Camp Nou got its first taste of Champions League football when Bayer Leverkusen were in town. Barça came from behind to win 2-1. This video looks at how the day went not only for the first team squad but also the U19 team in their game in the UEFA Youth League.

#ÀnimsRafinha

FC Barcelona’s Rafinha was seriously injured in the game with Roma. The club doctors diagnosed that he has torn cruciate ligaments in his right knee, and needed an operation. His team-mates immediately came out to voice their support for the midfielder, and walked onto the pitch against Celta wearing a shirt with a message of encouragement in Portuguese saying 'Muita Força Rafinha'.

Barça in support of the refugees

FC Barcelona, in yet another show of concern for charity and social causes, and especially the plight of underprivileged children, was quick to respond to the most serious migratory crisis since the Second World War. The ‘Tant se val d’on venim’ project was set up to help the refugees that have arrived in Europe, and as part the campaign the club recorded this promotional video featuring Luis Enrique, Iniesta, Messi, Neymar Jr, Piqué and Sergio. 

First titles for the section

The other professional sports teams at FC Barcelona got back to action this month, and three of them have already added a new trophy to their list. The handball team won the Asobal Super Cup, the futsal team collected the Copa Catalunya and the basketball team was victorious in the Catalan League.

In Zaragoza, the handball team was the first team to lift a trophy, beating Granollers 26-23 in the final.

Two days later, the FC Barcelona Lassa futsal team beat Catgas Energia Santa Coloma 4-2 to win their trophy.

Pau Ribas was the hero for the basketball team in the Catalan League. Barça made a fine comeback to defeat Morabanc Andorra 65-68.

Barça and the Catalan National Day

September 11 is the national day of Catalonia, and the president of the Club, Josep Maria Bartomeu, led the delegation that left a floral tribute to Rafael Casanova, joined by members of the board and representatives of the different sports teams.

From 7 October at 10.00am CET, members without season tickets will be able to start to buy tickets for matches from the second half of the 2015/16 at Camp Nou. The two first days of sale will be exclusively directed at those members who will be able to buy a maximum of six tickets per game via the Club website, Ticketmaster and the Club ticket offices.

On 9 October at 10.00am CET, the sale of tickets will be opened up to other members and the general public. The conditions are the same, a maximum of six tickets via the normal Club channels.

A discount of 20%

For all home games in the league, except Real Madrid, members will have a discount of 20% for the first ticket. If the ticket is bought via the Club website, members will have to identify themselves with their password and number key and the discount will be applied automatically (the same process if the ticket is bought via Ticketmaster). In the course of the purchase process, the available seats can be seen with their price according to which zone of the stadium they belong.

If the ticket is bought at the Club ticket offices then the members will have to bring their membership card for the discount to be applied.

The Club is putting tickets on sale for all the games in the second half of the season with the exception of the Clásico against Real Madrid which is at Camp Nou on the weekend of 3 April. On 11 November a separate purchase process will open up for this game exclusively for members without season tickets.

At the start of the season the Club opened up a first period of purchase for tickets corresponding to the first half of the season.

The concept of the Espai Barça, the preliminary work carried out over the last year and international architecture competitions for the New Camp Nou and Palau Blaugrana are generating much interest among specialists in the world of architecture. Modernity, innovation and sustainability in the remaking of FC Barcelona’s facilities are some of the aspects of the proposed transformation that are gaining the most interest among industry experts.

One of the latest examples of this interest is the application of Building Information Modelling (BIM) at Camp Nou. BIM is a comprehensive methodology for developing prototypes of any building before executing the construction and will provide better management control for the buildings of the future. BIM provides integrated software, three-dimensional models and databases to develop a one-of-a-kind virtual model that simulates the finished building with all its components and complete information about structure, installations, materials, measurements, costs, energy use, phases of construction, or any other parameters deemed necessary to manage the finished building.

Low risk, high efficiency

The club recently took part in European BIM Summit Day, organized by the Col·legi d'Aparelladors, Arquitectes Tècnics i Enginyers d’Edificació de Barcelona (an association of Surveyors, Architects and Construction Engineers), with the participation of David Cano, Project Coordinator of the Espai Barça, to show how this new technology is influencing this new project. The technology has the ability to save up to 20% in the construction budget and more than 15% annually in management and maintenance costs.

This will minimize project risks and increase the efficiency and sustainability throughout the project life cycle, from the design phase to construction, commissioning and the future management of the building.

The use of BIM has enabled the Espai Barça team to accurately specify all the requisites needed by the design teams who took part in the international competition for the New Camp Nou and New Palau Blaugrana.

David Cano, Project Coordinator of the Espai Barça:

"Using BIM technology will allow us to minimize risks in the design and construction phases of the Espai Barça. This way we can guarantee the cost of managing the entire project. In addition to 3D design, this technology allows us to plan and manage costs before building, as well as avoid risks during the execution of the work.”

“In addition, it allows us to build a large database with information on the entire construction process to better manage the entire future building."

The sight of Camp Nou in ruins is not something Barça fans would not normally be interested in. However, on Tuesday 6 October blaugrana members and fans will be queuing up to see precisely that, Barça’s stadium half destroyed. Fortunately, this nightmare scenario for football fans is a product of the imagination of Carles Porta, producer, scriptwriter and director of the film ‘Second Origin’, which has an exclusive premiere of the Phenomena cinema in Barcelona for Barça members. The video above gives fans a glimpse into the post production process whilst the clip below is the official trailer.

The movie is an adaptation of the 1974 Catalan literary classic ‘El mecanoscrit del segon origen’ by Manuel de Pedrolo. The Catalan production company Antàrtica Produccions is behind the film and Porta took over the reins as director following the death of critically acclaimed cineaste Bigas Luna who died during production in April 2013.

The film is set in a post-apocalyptic Catalonia with Barcelona appearing at key moments such as the spectacular and shocking image of Camp Nou as no Barça fan would ever want to see it.

‘Second Origin’ will go on general release in Spain with international distribution still to be confirmed.

Once again, FC Barcelona’s facilities will be the venue for the seventh annual MuscleTech Network Workshop, which this year will be coinciding with the fourth ECOSEP Congress (European College of Sports and Exercise Physicians), to be held on Wednesday 7, Thursday 8 and Friday 9 October and will be attended by a large number of internationally renowned researchers.

The MuscleTech Network Workshop has become a worldwide reference as a meeting forum for researchers, doctors, physical therapists and trainers to share and discuss the latest trends and innovations in the field of muscle and tendon injuries. This year it will be held alongside the Fourth ECOSEP Congress for physicians who provide continuing education and research with the aim of improving care for European athletes and citizens.

The event is organized by FC Barcelona, ECOSEP, Leitat and Aspetar and has the support of the FC Barcelona Foundation and the Leo Messi Foundation as well as the cooperation of institutions such as the Generalitat de Catalunya, among others.

The meetings aim to discuss and inform the public of results from basic medical research and their practical applications for the treatment of muscle and tendon injuries. Over the three days, the professionals participating will analyse, explore and reveal new ways of enhancing cooperation between hospital groups, research centers and university researchers.

It all starts on Wednesday at 9:30am on the first level of the Camp Nou grandstand, with the opening ceremony officiated by Dr. Jordi Monés, director of FC Barcelona's Medical and Performance Area; Dr. Joan Parra, CEO of Leitat; Professor John B. King, President ECOSEP; Dr. Karim Khan, Director of Research at Aspetar. This inaugural event will also include the presentation of the MuscleTech Bioiberica Mixed Research Unit, with José Escaich, CEO of Bioiberica; and Josep Vergés, medical and scientific director at Bioiberica.

The Muscle and Tendon forum, entitled "Inspiring Clinical Excellence," will be attended by world-renowned researchers such as doctors Jill Cook from Australia, Johnny Huard and Richard Lieber from The United States, Stefano Della Villa from Italy, Christian Gerber from Germany, Tero Järvinen from Finland, and Asker Jeukendrup from the United Kingdom, among others, as well as the active participation of different members from the FC Barcelona medical team and researchers from Leitat. In total, more than 300 professionals from around the world are attending this year.

MuscleTech Network

MuscleTech Network is promoted by FC Barcelona's medical services and Leitat, and is oriented towards research and communication between scientists and international professionals who are working in hospitals, universities and research centers with the goal of making new treatments a reality for patients.

In the last six years MuscleTech has promoted numerous international research projects and has dedicated itself to promoting and conducting research and dissemination of new results-oriented approaches for the treatment of injuries, improvements in sports medicine, promoting the healthy practice of sports and solving other problems of a social character related to muscle and tendon injuries.

For more information and the detailed program:

http://www.muscletechnetwork.org

Email: info@muscletechnetwork.org

Two weeks after the formal opening of the stadium came the first official game at Camp Nou. Expectation was high after the inaugural unofficial match to christen the new ground, now came the first bona fide test in the Club’s new surroundings. The league game against Jaén saw the Barça fans turn up in hordes, almost filling it to capacity for the fourth round of matches in la Liga. The team responded with a thrilling 6-1 win over the Andalusians, Villaverde, Tejada (2), Kubala and Eulogio Martínez were on the scoreboard for the blaugranes on that historic day at Camp Nou.

The new FIFA 16 Ultimate Team app for mobile devices offers everyone the opportunity to feel like they are at the helm of a real world football club. Users can decide which players to keep and which ones to transfer. And if you make FC Barcelona your favourite club you can begin playing with a real Barça player.

The game offers console-quality playability on phones and tablets. Lead your team to victory with new tactics, more exciting goals, improved response and jaw-dropping graphics.

The new FIFA 16 Ultimate Team has a database of more than 12,000 real-life players from over 600 real-world clubs, including stars from FC Barcelona and Spain's La Liga.

One of the new features in this mobile version challenges players to achieve feats that have occurred in real-life football. If Leo Messi scores on a header users can receive a challenge to try and duplicate it and be rewarded.

With the new FIFA 16 Ultimate Team you can build your very own team by exchanging players and items for others that are even better. The higher the values of the players or items, the better the upgrades.

This hot new game can be downloaded for free from the App Store and Google Play. For more information about EA SPORTS FIFA 16 visit www.easports.com/fifa or join the EA SPORTS community on its Facebook page. Follow us on Twitter @easportsfifa and use the hashtag #FIFA16.

After the announcement that the State Attorney intends to accuse Lionel Messi of three cases of tax fraud between 2007 and 2009, demanding a 22 month jail sentence, FC Barcelona declares the following:

1.- The Club expresses its surprise at the difference in criteria between the Public Prosecutors, which on September 25 decided not to accuse Lionel Messi of tax fraud, and the verdict expressed today by the State Attorney, which states the complete opposite.

2.- FC Barcelona has expressed its affection and solidarity to Leo Messi and his family in such a peculiar situation. The Club shall continue to offer him and his family its full support and assistance in the legal, fiscal and administrative aspects of these proceedings.

3.- FC Barcelona decries the accumulation of totally inadmissible and external decisions that have been going on for some time, and that have nothing to with strictly sporting affairs. They are damaging to the good operations of the Club, its stability and also that of the athletes that form part of it. The Club shall be working with more determination than ever to defend its legitimate rights and is ready for any new challenges that might arise.

                                                                                                       Barcelona, 8 October 2015

On Thursday 15 October the period for confirming the waiting list for season tickets at Camp Nou for members who were inscribed before 30 July 2015 begins. Those on the season ticket waiting list have to confirm their desire to receive a season ticket to fulfill Club regulations.

According to this stipulation, prospective season ticket holders will have to appear in person at the OAB (Members Help Desk) between Monday and Friday between 9.00am and 7.00pm CET (except on match days), where they will have to present an identity document.

This step has to be carried out between 15 October 2015 and 7 January 2016. If this step is not carried out in the specified time frame, the Club will interpret this as an indication  that the member is no longer interested in being considered for a season ticket and they will lose their place on the waiting list. For members not yet of age, the process can be carried on their behalf by parents or legal guardians with the appropriate paperwork.

Once the period is over then the Club will then move on to the process of assigning season tickets to those people who been on the waiting list the longest.

To obtain a season ticket at Camp Nou, first of all it is necessary to register for the waiting list in person with the relevant documentation. The conditions are that the applicant must have been a member for at least two years, must be up to date with their member payments and to not already have season ticket.

In the last four years more than 1,730 season tickets have been awarded to members on the waiting list (24.2% of the 7,138 members on the waiting list). In fact, last season there was a record in this area with 1,038 season tickets reassigned, more than the figures between the year 2011/12 and 2013/14.

Season ticket waiting list

FC Barcelona today announced a major upgrade to its official mobile app that will now let fans share their team passion in a more personal, unique way.

This new development is the result of the agreement between FC Barcelona and TOK.tv Inc., the fastest growing social network in the area of sport with more than four million users around the world.

With the integration of the “Social Button" – available inside the matchroom on the app – users will unlock a set of social features that will enable them to share the emotion of watching a game together with their friends. These new social features help recreate the live experience, as if fans were actually at the stadium during the match.

FCB OFFICIAL APP

USERS CAN NOW TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE NEW FEATURES:

-Talk live: users will be able call up to three friends simultaneously, scream for the blaugrana together and comment on every action of the match as if they were on the same couch.

-Cheer on the team: send Camp Nou chants and “stadium” sounds to other fans. Chants and sounds available in the carousel will let users cheer on Barça and recreate the stadium experience.

-Take Selfies: users can take pictures of themselves and their friends, making the best moments of the game last forever. With dynamically changing backgrounds and the option to share the photos on social media, the “Social Selfie” is the ultimate feature to make every game unforgettable.

This weekend, like every, the FC Barcelona professional teams will be battling to record victories in their respective competitions. Amongst the highlights on offer is a double confrontation between Barça and Rayo Vallecano – in the Men’s First Division on Saturday at Camp Nou and in the Women’s top flight on Sunday at the Rayo Ciudad Deportiva. Here is a list of what is on offer for Barça fans this weekend: (All times are CET)

Friday 16 October

FCB Lassa (futsal) - Santiago Futsal – League. Week 6. Palau Blaugrana (9.15pm)

Saturday 17 October

Lleida Esportiu – FC Barcelona U19 A – U19 Premier League. Camp Municipal Magraners (12.00pm)

FCB Lassa (roller hockey) - Sporting CP - Copa Continental, second leg Palau (4.15pm)

Vive Tauron Kielce - FCB Lassa (handball) – Champions League. Macth Day 5 (6.00pm)

Villarreal B - Barça B – Second Division B group 3 (6.00pm)

FC Barcelona - Rayo Vallecano - League (8.30pm)

Sunday 18 October

FC Barcelona U19 B - Unificació Bellvitge – U19 National League . Camp 7 CE Joan Gamper (12:00pm)

Rayo - FC Barcelona Women – First Division (12:00pm)

Baloncesto Sevilla - FCB Lassa (basketball) - Endesa League (6.00pm)

The vice-president Jordi Mestre, after having arrived in Minsk on Tuesday, gave his opinión on UEFA’s decisión to fine FC Barcelona for the presence of Catalan Independence flags at Camp Nou during the game against Bayer Leverkusen. “We are surprised. We will appeal against the decision, and if necessary, we will take legal advice. We will battle until the end and we do not understand why UEFA would treat us like this for something that does not incite violence,” said Mestre.

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The vice president responsible for the sporting area made it clear that this Monday’s decision was not a popular one at the Club. He continued: “There is not a war with UEFA but we are defending the interests of our Club. We have always had a very respectful and well behaved set of fans. We would never tell our members and fans not to express their opinion.”

With regards to the first fine for the presence of Catalan Independence flags at the Champions League final on the 6 June, Mestre said, “we had a series of conversations with UEFA executives that came to nothing. If necessary we will take legal advice,” he insisted.

Anna Cruz, who has not yet turned 29, has become the first Catalan, and only the second Spaniard after Amaya Valdemoro, to win the WNBA after her team, Minnesota Lynx, defeated Indiana Fever 3-2 in the best-of-five final series to clinch the trophy.

Cruz started forging her career at the now defunct UB Barça, a joint venture involving FC Barcelona and the University of Barcelona. “It was at UB Barça that I learned the game” she says. “I arrived a girl and left as a woman.”

“I am so happy that I managed to make the most of all that experience” she continues. "Winning the WNBA is the reward for dedicating my whole life to basketball. I have had to make a whole lot of sacrifices to get here, but it was worth it. As a player, this is the biggest thing I could have aspired to. Winning the biggest league in the world is not something that’s easy to put into words.”

Early memories

Cruz was just 16 when she first started training with the Barça women, but by 2004/05 she was a fully matured small forward and shooting guard. She had to compete with some fine colleagues like Helen Luz, Marta Fernández and Laura Antoja.

“I learned a lot from them” she remembers. “I have fond memories, although I was still very young. I always tried to watch the things that they did and I tried to absorb all the advice they gave me.”

And now it is she who giving advice to other young hopefuls, saying that “you should never stop working. Even when you feel you are in a rut, sooner or later life brings about rewards for those who make an effort.”

Today is the historic day for film buffs. October 21, 2015 is the day when Marty McFly, played by Michael J Fox in Robert Zemeckis’ hugely popular Back to the Future series, arrived in a world of flying cars, hoverboards and automatic shoelaces. To honour the occasion, we thought it would be fun to take a look back at what was happening at FC Barcelona on the other days that are visited in the trilogy.

26 October 1985

The ‘present day’ in the Back to The Future movies is October 1985. The soccer revolution had yet to hit the USA. So did the revolution in communication technologies. If anyone in Hill Valley knew anything at all about Barça, there was nothing on TV or in the newspapers, and certainly no Internet, to tell them how the team was doing.

In the UK, it was different. La Liga was suddenly something more than a list of scores in the small print just after the Beazer Homes League. And that was because Terry Venables had just completed his first season in charge by leading Barça to the Liga title for the first time since 1974. Even so, on October 26, there were just six reporters at El Tel’s pre-match press conference ahead of the game with Cádiz the next day. Barça were struggling in eleventh place, and the main talking point was absence of team’s leading goalscorer, the injured Steve Archibald.

Unlike the modern Barça, Venables’ team was more famed for its strength at the back, with Urruti in goal and the likes of Gerardo, Migueli and Julio Alberto in defence. The biggest name was Bernd Schuster, who would score the only goal as Barça beat Cádiz 1-0 the following day.

But the media were more focused on the first European Cup campaign for eleven years than events in the domestic championship. After squeezing past Sparta Prague on goal difference, Barça were now preparing for FC Porto. They’d go all the way to the final, which they lost to Steaua Bucharest on penalties – a memory that still haunts older fans.

5 November 1955

While Marty was battling to find his way back to 1985, while at the same time trying to shun the affections of his own mother and get her to fall in love with his father instead, on the other side of the Atlantic, FC Barcelona were sitting pretty at the top of La Liga after the first eight games. A week earlier, they had suffered their first defeat, 1-0 at Valladolid, but on the day that Marty’s Delorean arrived in 1955, FCB got back to their winning ways with a 3-1 victory at home to Sevilla.

For once, however, football was not the big talking point. Spaniard Galiana Díaz had just won the European featherweight crown in Paris, and the sports press seemed just as interested in hearing what the players had to say about the boxing as they had in the game with Sevilla!

[[DES_1]]Eduardo Manchón (2) and the great László Kubala scored the goals. Other legendary names in the side that day included Antoni Ramallets in goal, and the original Luis Suárez up front. Barça were still playing home fixtures at the old Les Corts stadium, although construction of the Camp Nou had started a year and a half earlier. It wouldn’t be ready to host its first game for another two years, in September 1957.

Later in the 1955/56 season, Barça would go on to win 10 games in a row, a record that wouldn’t be broken until 2005. But they still missed out on the league title, finishing one point behind Athletic Bilbao. The club was also about to embark on its first ever European adventure, the Inter Cities Fairs Cup. The first edition of the competition was spread out over four years, so it wouldn’t be until 1958 that Barça beat a London XI to claim its first continental trophy.

2 September 1885

What were FC Barcelona up to while Marty was preparing for a showdown at dawn with Buford "Mad Dog" Tannen? Nothing, because the club didn’t exist yet! Football was already big business in Great Britain, but it had yet to catch on in Spain, although the Recreation Club in Huelva was just a few years away from setting up what is regarded as the first proper club in the country.

In Barcelona, where the first stones of Andoni Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia were being put into place, football was only played by pockets of foreigners. In 1875, a letter to La Linterna de Gracia had described some weird English people and “a diversion using greater than regular size balls that they play almost every afternoon”. And they weren’t overly welcome. “Last Tuesday, one of the youngsters insulted, to the extent that punches were thrown, a young man who was watching them, just because he got too close to the pile of clothes they had taken off. We hope somebody does something about this.” Of course the English were annoyed! Those were the goal-posts!

From around about 1892, the British community started playing more serious games in the fields around the city. But it would not be until 1899, when a certain Swiss gentleman called Hans Gamper arrived in town, that things started to get more serious, and Football Club Barcelona was born.

How times have changed. Apart from one thing. They still haven’t finished building the Sagrada Familia!

This week the site of men in white uniforms has been a constant in the city of Barcelona. With their cameras and mobile phones at hand these immaculately turned out young men and women are none other South Korean navy trainees who are in town after two training ships arrived earlier in the week at the city’s port.

The apprentice sailors have taken the opportunity to see the sights that Barcelona has to offer and obviously one of the first ports of call for the sea-faring visitors has been FC Barcelona’s ground, Camp Nou. On Tuesday of this week more 250 members of the ships’ two crews came to Barça’s ground to enjoy the full Camp Nou Experience.

The sheer scale of the stadium itself was one of the things that impressed the South Koreans the most. Woong Ryeol Kim was visiting Camp Nou for the first time and was awestruck at the magnitude of the team’s home ground. The trainees stay in Barcelona is just for three days so Woong will sadly not have the chance to see his hero Leo Messi play in the flesh and for that reason, he hopes that the trainees will be back in the city before too long.

This Wednesday morning, FC Barcelona has received authorisation from FIFA for two more members of its youth academy to be able to compete for their respective teams under current regulations. Having reviewed all of the documentation presented by the Club by instance of the new FIFA requirements of recent months, the international governing body has accepted these two latest licenses.

This means that nine of the eleven cases of youth players whose licenses were refused by FIFA have now been cleared up.

We are pleased to announce the winner of the September edition of the CAMP NOU EXPERIENCE photography contest. The Instagram user that wins an official first team shirt is missrockabillyruby with 1,596 votes. To claim the prize, this user must write to campnouexperiencefcb@gmail.com giving the address where the prize is to be sent.

We remind you that the contest involves taking a picture while enjoying the Camp Nou Experience and copying one of the first team players. Then post the picture on Instagram with the hashtag #CampNouExperience. The club will pick the best photo each month and they’ll get to win an official football shirt.

Get tickets for the Camp Nou Experience

At next Sunday's Members' Assembly, the Club will seek approval of the 2014/15 financial results, which included 608 million Euros of revenue, a Club record, and a profit of 15 million Euros. That brings to 128 million Euros the total profit since 2010. The budget also foresees record revenues of 633 million Euros this season, and a profit of 20 million Euros.

The financial year 2014/15 was marked, both in the areas of revenue and expenditures, by the treble won by the first team.

Marketing revenues increased considerably, surpassing 56 million Euros and representing a 33% increase. The main drivers of this increase were variable revenues stemming from title bonuses paid out by sponsors for winning the treble, as well as new commercial agreements (Telefónica, Beko) and improved contractual conditions with sponsors such as Audi, Damm and La Caixa.

Revenues from the Stadium and other facilities increased by 16%. Participation in and organization of the Copa del Rey Final and final rounds of the Champions League were the chief reasons for this growth, more than offsetting the negative financial impact of not having played the Spanish Super Cup, which is an important source of revenues since it is not included in season ticket packages. Also noteworthy was the increase in revenue from the Museum.

An increase of 39% in sports-related salaries from the previous season, when the football first team did not win a title, this past season the team won the treble, which resulted in an increase in variable sports expenditures of 53 million Euros. Also important was the bonus paid to Xavi Hernández at the end of his contract as well contract renewals signed by Sergio Busquets, Dani Alves, Pedro Rodríguez and Sergi Robert.

Management expenditures increased by 15 million Euros compared to the previous season primarily due to factors such as non-budgeted expenses associated with participation in the Copa del Rey and Champions League Finals and title celebrations. There was also increased spending on legal services.

A relevant fact is that in the last six years, from 2009/10, revenue has grown an average of 8% annually and expenses by just 4%.

Sports-related costs trend

The percentage of Total Club expenses from sports-related salaries (football + sections) increased 8 points, from 65% to 73%, surpassing the 70% threshold. It is important to keep in mind, however, that variable costs were particularly high this season due to winning the treble. In calculating this percentage, the figure Total Club sports-related salaries includes salaries of players and coaching staff, variable titles bonuses, image rights, sports agents, social security, and amortisation of player contracts.

We have broken down the figures, considering both the total (football + sections) as well as football only (first team and youth teams, without the sections). If the analysis is limited to football, the ratio stands at 66%, within recommended levels

Debt

The results mentioned above, along with the significant investment in player acquisitions (Suárez, Mathieu, Bravo, Vermaelen and, at the end of the season, Aleix Vidal) led to an increase in net debt, rising from 287 million Euros the previous year to 328 million Euros. However, it is important to note that since the 2010/11 season net debt has been reduced by 102 million Euros.

The ratio of net debt to EBITDA stands at 3.24, exceeding the maximum of 2.75 set out in the Statutes for this season. The forecast for the coming season, with lower costs for player acquisitions and achieving an EBITDA of 120 million Euros, places us below 2.5, which will allow us to comply with the established equity balance ratio and continue reducing debt in line with recent years

Net financial debt (loans + bank guarantees + deferred payment obligations for player acquisitions – liquid assets) is 85 million Euros, more than fulfilling the obligations of the syndicated loan agreement with the banks, which will be concluded next summer.

Regarding liquid assets, the Club closes the fiscal year with 76 million Euros of cash on hand, having decreased bank debt by 21 million Euros (from 73  million to 52 million), being on 30 June up to date with its obligations, and having no outstanding public debts.

The Club’s net equity increased and now stands at 69 million Euros. The Club’s assets have been strengthened by investing 16 million Euros in sports and social facilities, computer systems and other assets, the highlights of which include the new pavilions at the Ciutat Esportiva, IT and Wi-Fi projects, and the beginning of the Espai Barça projects.

2015/16 Budget

Revenue is expected to increase by 4% to a record 633 million Euros with expenses of 599 million Euros. This puts the budgeted operating profit for the 2015/16 season at 34 million Euros that, when including net revenues and taxes, represents an expected after-tax profit of 20 million Euros.

The biggest growth comes from the Marketing area, in line with on-going efforts at internationalisation and an increase in brand value with a target increase of 25 million Euros.

Despite the new additions of Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal and contract renewals of players and coaches, sports-related spending decreased compared to the previous season since the football budget is based on the hypothesis that, like every year, we win La Liga, get to the quarter-finals of the Champions League, and get to the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey. However, these player additions also result in higher amortisation costs.

“FC Barcelona is financially in very good health. This is the best moment ever in the history of the Club.” The vice-president for the Economic Area, Susana Monje, had plenty of good news at the presentation of the liquidation for the 2014/15 financial year (608 million) and the budget for 2015/16 (633 million).

The data will need to be approved by the Delegate Assembly on Sunday, but Monje insists that the Board of Directors “are happy to have achieved the highest income in the history of the Club. There is still potential to generate even more income but things are on the right track. We shall continue to reduce the debt and capitalise the Club.”

Susana Monje also discussed the following aspects of the club’s finances:

Signing players

 “We can sign and shall make an effort to do so, but we have to be prudent”

"The Club has made profits, it is solid and that means we can cover the players’ salaries"

“A possible renewal of Neymar Jr’s contract is not included in the cost but the impact will be compensated for accountancy purposes by the increase in the amortisation period”

Espai Barça (new stadium)

“We have this year and the next to continue reducing the debt and start construction of the Espai Barça. More than 31 million will already be invested this season"

"We are speaking with the Council. We’re presenting documents and things are on good course"

Main sponsors

“The budget does not include a possible improvement to the shirt sponsorship contract”

“Talks have not started with Nike regarding renewal, but we are in constant contact”

Preseason tours

"They’re attractive because they generate values, brand recognition and income”

“There always has to be a balance between financial, sporting and logistical aspects”

Possible treble

“Winning a new treble would have an impact on costs and income, but would never cause greater debt, quite the contrary, it would mean a small profit”