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FC Barcelona launch French and Portuguese versions of official application

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L'app del Barça, disponible en francès i portuguès
The mobile channel, which has over four million users, offers daily updates on the football team

FC Barcelona has launched French and Portuguese versions of its official mobile application, which is available on both Android and IOS.

The apps in both of the new languages will include all information on the first team and its players, including news, standings and transfers.

The mobile channel has over four million downloads across its Catalan, Spanish and English versions. Since March 2015, when the new version of the app was launched, updated with a new design and adapted to the needs of the user, it has over two and a half million downloads.  

The user has the ability to turn on real-time alerts for when the team scores, for the announcement of the starting eleven or/and the result of the game.

More than half (57%) of the traffic which the club’s content generates via its official channels – app and website – come from mobiles.

After Spain, United States, Kenya and United Kingdom, France is the country that visits the website the most with three million unique users per year. Almost 57% of the Brazilian users stay up to date with the club via mobile, making the these two new languages a necessity.

Download the Barça app


FC Barcelona and Facebook collaborate on 360º content during El Clásico

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Fans enjoy using virtual reality technology / FCB
With virtual reality technology, fans experience various parts of the Camp Nou during the big game

FC Barcelona and Facebook used the latest Clásico to offer fans the chance to put themselves in various corners of the Camp Nou using virtual reality technology.

During the game, various areas were equipped with Facebook’s Oculus technology, such as the tunnel before the players walk onto the field, allowing fans to enjoy a 360 degree experience. The content will be published on the club’s official Facebook channel.

In recent times, FC Barcelona has been working on the production of various 360º content, and so the club took advantage of the league match against Real Madrid to publish the results on Facebook. One of those was the players’ walking onto the field of play with the backdrop of the mosaic commemorating the late Johan Cruyff, which earned over a million views in just a day.

Just the start

FC Barcelona commercial director Francesco Calvo said: “We are focusing on virtual reality technology not only to allow our fans around the world to live the Barca experience wherever they may be, but also as it is a clear asset for digital sponsorship. This weekend’s experience is the start of a long path for FC Barcelona.”

What's on this weekend?

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There's a lot happening at Barça on April 9 and 10 / FCB
This weekend's highlights include a huge football match at Anoeta and an enticing duel at the Miniestadi between Barça B and Sabadell

 A look ahead at this weekend’s fixture for the different professional teams at FC Barcelona (all times Central European Time):

Friday, 8 April

9.00pm FUTSAL FC Barcelona Lassa v Ribera Navarra

It’s second versus fourth in the LNFS as Barça host the team with the second best defensive record in the competition.

Saturday, 9 April

6.00pm FOOTBALL FC Barcelona B v CE Sabadell

After losing the Copa Catalunya Final to Sabadell, the reserves now face the same side at the Miniestadi for a league fixture.

7.30pm BASKETBALL Montakit Fuenlabrada v FC Barcelona Lassa

Having assured qualification for the Euroleague quarter finals midweek, the Liga Endesa leaders (24-2) face the seventh placed side from Madrid (14-12).

7.30pm ROLLER HOCKEY CE Noia Freixenet v FC Barcelona Lassa

The hockey team will be looking to consolidate their lead in the OK Liga at the home of the team currently ranked fifth.

8.30pm FOOTBALL Real Sociedad v FC Barcelona

Even after losing the Clásico, Barça are six points clear at the top of the table, but almost a decade has passed since the last time they won at Anoeta..

Sunday, 10 April

12.00pm U19 FOOTBALL San Francisco v FC Barcelona

After beating Atlètic Balears last weekend, Gabri’s side now face another team from Mallorca, but this time on the road.

Request for the time of the Copa del Rey final to be changed

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Sergio Busquets takes on the Sevilla midfield / MIGUEL RUIZ - FCB
Both FC Barcelona and Sevilla ask for the game to be moved to an earlier time of the evening for the benefit of the supporters

FC Barcelona and Sevilla have made a request to the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) to change the scheduled 9.30pm CET kick-off time of the Copa del Rey final.

Both clubs prefer the final to take place at either 6.00pm or 7.00pm CET as the match falls on a Sunday (May 22), meaning that the next day is a working day.

With both sets of fans needing to return to their respective homes from Madrid, the current kick-off would mean that they would not get back to Barcelona and Seville until extremely early in the morning of Monday.

Therefore, both clubs want to make it public that the selection of the time of the final is a matter of will, and the fact that neither even have wanted to attend a requested of both clubs is a blatant disregard of sensitivity to both entities and their fans.

Any kick-off time beyond 7.00pm is absolutely rejected by both clubs, who have come together to demand respect for their interests and assert their opinions on the Copa del Rey final.

Now we know the winner of the 'Camp Nou Experience' competition for March

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The winner of the competition for March / FCB
The best photo of the month wins an official Barça jersey

The photography competition ‘Camp Nou Experience’ now has a winner for the month of March. The Instagram account that will take away the Barça shirt on offer is that of roccotrita, with a total of 12,963 likes. For the winner to receive the prize they have to send an e-mail to campnouexperiencefcb@gmail.com stating their address.

The competition has been running for several months now and it consists of taking a photograph of yourself during the ‘Camp Nou Experience’ tour, imitating one of the first team players and then post it on Instagram. The hashtag #CampNouExperience must be used for the Club to award a Barça shirt to the person whose photo receives most ‘likes’.

Buy tickets for the 'Camp Nou Experience'

 

Kobe Bryant: an illustrious FC Barcelona fan retires

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#MambaDay English
Barça produce commemorative video for Kobe Bryant who is calling it a day after 20 years in the NBA

This Wednesday is ‘Mamba Day’, the day which Kobe Bryant plays his last game in the NBA.

FC Barcelona has paid tribute the LA Lakers star with a special video featuring some of the moments Bryant has shared with the club and some words from Gerard Pique and Andres Iniesta.

Over the years, Bryant has demonstrated his support for the Catalans and has appeared at various promotional events of the club.

300 supporters travel to Madrid on chartered AVE train organised by FCBDesplaçaments

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Fans meet at the station to head for / VÍCTOR SALGADO - FCB
The Club is also offering the train as means of transport to the Copa del Rey Final on May 22 as well as the cheaper coach option

Some 300 FC Barcelona supporters left Sants Station this morning on the AVE high-speed train to Madrid to watch this evening’s Champions League quarter final second leg away to Atlético.

The trip was organised by FCBDesplaçaments, the department of the club that is working on developing new travel options to offer fans and supporters clubs for away matches.

Next May, when Barça play Sevilla in the Copa del Rey Final, the same option will be on offer to members for €189, while the cheaper option of coach travel will also be available for just €39.

 

 

Bartomeu attends European Club Association meeting in Amsterdam

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Josep Maria Bartomeu during the meeting in Amsterdam / ECA
Meeting looks at the construction of the new format of club competitions on the continent for 2018-2021

FC Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu took part in the meeting of the Executive Committee of the European Club Association meeting in Amsterdam on Tuesday.

The main objective of the meeting was to speak about the format of European club competitions for the new competitive cycle from 2018 to 2021.

The clubs will continue to address this issue at the next Executive Committee meeting which will take place in Milan on 28 May, ahead of the Champions League Final. Once a consensus is proposed, the clubs will present it to UEFA, who will decide on the new format by the end of the year.

Josep Maria Bartomeu forms part of the Executive Committee of the ECA since May 2014, when he was elected as a member of UEFA’s Professional Football Strategy Council.


FC Barcelona players star in new Beko advert

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The players take part in the latest Beko advert
Leo Messi, Luis Suárez, Gerard Piqué, Arda Turan and Marc-Andre ter Stegen feature in 'Time to Play' commercial

Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, Gerard Piqué, Arda Turan and Marc-André ter Stegen are the protagonists in Beko’s new 'Time to Play' commercial.

The five stars reveal what it means to play with Barça’s style, why playing is important to them and why having fun on a daily basis is important.

The commercial shows the players interacting with mini animated versions of themselves as they discuss why football is such a big part of their lives, recalling stories of when they were young.

Beko and FC Barcelona

Beko is the international brand for home appliances of the Arçelik Group and is a Global Premium Partner of FC Barcelona. It offers both small and large home appliances, and has been the fastest growing company in the European market over the past seven years in its field.

Beko signed a four-year sponsorship with the club at the start of the 2014/15 season and will run until the end of the 2017/18 season. Its logo features on the sleeve of the team’s jersey.

LIVE - The presentation of the New Camp Nou

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Presentation of the New Camp Nou / FCB
Follow the event that will take place from 1.30pm CET from the first tier of the main stand at the stadium, part of the Espai Barça

From 1.30pm CET, follow live the presentation of the New Camp Nou. The event will be attended by representatives from the first team, former players as well as a various members of the Board of Directors, led by president Josep Maria Bartomeu.

First team players impressed by New Camp Nou

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The four first team captains (Messi, Sergio, Iniesta and Mascherano) with President Bartomeu, coach Luis Enrique and the model of the New Camp Nou / MIGUEL RUIZ - FCB
FC Barcelona captain Andrés Iniesta describes the presentation of the future ground as "an important step forward in our history"

After the stunning 8-0 defeat of Deportivo at Riazor and a training session at the Ciutat Esportiva, the FC Barcelona first team attended the presentation of the New Camp Nou in the main grandstand.

After listening to the presentation by president Josep Maria Bartomeu and the Espai Barça commissioner Jordi Moix, the four Barça captains and their coach Luis Enrique were taken to view the model of the New Nou Camp Nou, designed by the joint team of the Nikken Sekkei and Pascual-Ausió studios.

Andrés Iniesta commented that “for me and everyone at the club this is an important step forward in our history. Having a stadium like this means we’ll continue to set new standards as the best team in the world.”

Work on the new stadium will carry on through to the 2021/22 season, although Iniesta did ironically say that “everyone will be able to enjoy the New Camp Nou in their own different way”, hinting that he’ll be 37 by then and probably no longer part of the first team, although it’s not an option that he’s entirely counting out.

He concluded by saying that “we have had the good fortune to play in a number of different stadiums, and our future home will be a unique, standard-setting venue.”

Josep Maria Bartomeu: With the New Camp Nou, everyone wins

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Josep Maria Bartomeu presents the New Camp Nou / MIGUEL RUIZ - FCB
The president of FC Barcelona and Jordi Moix, director commissioner of Espai Barça, talk about what the project will bring

Space dedicated to Cruyff

Josep Maria Bartomeu also announced that the New Camp Nou will have a space dedicated to Johan Cruyff: “He deserves it, because the club would not be where it is now without him".

FC Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu called the unveiling of the plans for the New Camp Nou stadium “a historic day for the day club”.

The presentation took place in the presence of sporting and institutional representatives, former players, the project winning architects Nikken Sekkei and Pascual-Ausio, players and coaches from the first team and many more.

The president highlighted the scale of the project and the historic moment facing the club and says “it will be the best stadium in the world”. The president reiterated that “a club like ours must have the best stadium”.

As does the club deserve it, so does the city: “It will be good for the city and for those who visit,” said Bartomeu. With the New Camp Nou, everybody is a winner according to the president.

“Barça wins, as they will have a unique stadium and the members, fans and visitors win because it is adapted to the needs of the people with all comforts and services possible”.

So does the whole area. “The neighborhood and the city will also will as they will get to enjoy a new green space, facilities build to the highest criteria regarding sustainability and accessibility. A New Camp Nou, open, attractive and a new icon for Barcelona,” said Bartomeu.

For the coming years, when the start the construction of the New Camp Nou gets underway, both Bartomeu and Jordi Moix, director commissioner of the Espai Barça project, have asked for the cooperation of the members:

"We must walk together, join forces, have close synergy and grow together,” said Moix. Bartomeu also highlighted the impact of the club on the city of Barcelona, noting that the contribution to the GDP of the city has increased by 1.5%.

He explained how it is forecasted that it will make a contribution of 826million euros to the GDP of Barcelona, but the updated study by Deloitte for the 2014/15 season says it has already increased to 906 million.

Finally, Bartomeu outlined the main features of the winning project by Nikken Sekkei and Pascual-Ausió, a Catalan-Japanese architectural fusion.

Regarding the financing of the project, Bartomeu explained that debt needs to be reduced and “search for the best proposals for external funding without jeopardizing the sports project and without selling an inch of heritage”.

In conclusion, the president stated: "It is a dream that is also a great challenge that we will take on with responsibility, rigor, conviction, enthusiasm and pride".

On his part, Moix called the project a “spectacular challenge” and that “it will be a long process and, on occasions, annoying but we know that we are constructing history”.

New Camp Nou opens to the world

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Aerial view of the New Camp Nou / FCB
The winning project by the Nikken Sekkei and Pascual-Ausió team is presented to the media at an event held at the Camp Nou in the presence of the first team

The New Camp Nou was presented on Thursday, showing to the world the uniqueness of its design, a stadium for the 21st century that emphasizes the spirit of wanting to be open to everyone. The Camp Nou grandstand was the scene for the event, where the Board of Directors, led by president Josep Maria Bartomeu, was joined by sporting and institutional representatives, former players who have helped build the history of the current stadium and also players and coaches from the first team.

The winning bid came from the Nikken Sekkei studio from Japan, and that of Catalan architects Pascual-Ausió, who were chosen on 8 March by the Espai Barça committee, made up of four members of the Board: the architect Juan Pablo Mitjans (son of Francesc Mitjans, architect of the Camp Nou), three members of the College of Architects of Catalonia and a representative of the City Council. The project will convert the current stadium into a brand new Camp Nou without a conventional façade and that will be serene, timeless, Mediterranean and democratic.

The architectural project for the New Nou Camp is rooted in the singularity of the overhanging roof of the current stadium’s main stand, which is of unique sentimental value as a reminder of the original design by Mitjans. Sekkei and Pascual-Ausió have reinterpreted this feature and extended it across the whole stadium over all three level, while also turning it out towards the street, going from inside to out to form the exterior coverings for the common areas. The New Camp Nou will be a stadium like no other in the world.

The winning proposal has created an excellent, comfortable stadium with a 105,000 capacity and boasting a full range of services, fitting in perfectly with the surrounding Campus Barça -eliminating previous barriers to the neighbourhood and opening the facilities to the city via a new green space. Access to the Stadium will be at street level through a spacious and lofty atrium, with access to the upper floors via 12 separate columns which incorporate escalators, stairways and lifts. The New Camp Nou will be built to the highest standards of sustainability, using collected rainwater from the roof and solar energy as part of the global strategy of the Espai Barça to become a stadium that is open and accessible to as well as being a smart stadium incorporating the latest technological advances.

LES PRINCIPALS CARACTERÍSTIQUES DEL NOU CAMP NOUThe New Camp Nou will offer excellent visibility from all seating areas. The first level will be completely new and built in a more parabolic and vertical style. The second tier will maintain its current structure while offering ideal visibility with the addition of increased comfort, accessibility and services, including the third tier, which will run round the whole ground above the main stand. Above that, there will be a 360° walkway with connections both with the inside of the stadium and the outside city..

Integrated with the city and neighbourhood

It is precisely this integration of the New Camp and its Espai Barça in Les Corts district and the city of Barcelona that was one of the main reasons why this candidature was chosen. A broad surrounding area without vehicles, without slopes, without barriers, and with an underground parking lot with 3,500 spaces enables the development of a huge esplanade where the Museum, FCBotiga Megastore and Foundation will be located, along with buildings that have been designed as if they were Japanese origami as they emerge from the ground and blend into the landscape while not obstructing the flow or view for members and visitors. The campus will also include other complementary buildings (service and ticket offices, etc.) as well as catering.

The whole remodeling process will go ahead without interrupting matches in the stadium. Construction will happen in stages, to be concluded in the 2020/21 season, although the definitive schedule is still pending approval of the New Metropolitan Plan and the Espai Barça urban planning project. Commissioner Jordi Moix and the Espai Barça team led by William T. Mannarelli will be working in parallel with different institutions and the teams of architects to develop the urban plans and architectural projects in coordination with the City Council and the Catalan Government (the Generalitat), as well as the residents of Les Corts and other social movements.

The Social Area will also oversee, with guidance from the best companies in the sector, the migration process to transfer season tickets from the current stadium to the New Camp Nou, by assigning new seats to members. The extension of the capacity means many members currently on the waiting list will be getting seats, and families and friends can be regrouped, as well as extending the services for reduced visibility supportersd.

Espai Barça Exhibition

Following the event, a new space was opened that is fully dedicated to the New Camp Nou. That is the Espai Barça Exhibition, and its commissioner, Albert Blanc, hosted a guided visit of the display. The exhibition is in Sala Paris, which opened its doors on the same occasion as the presentation of the New Palau Blaugrana and now also includes full details of the winning project for the New Camp Nou. The Exhibition is open from Monday to Saturday from 10.00am to 8.00pm and on Sundays from 10.00am to 3.00pm and on match days until the second half kicks off. Members are invited to take a guided tour, every Thursday from 12.00pm to 1.00pm.

ALL ABOUT THE NEW CAMP NOU

World reacts to 'spectacular design' of New Camp Nou

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A selection of reactions from the global media / FCB
Media from all around the world express their admiration for the design of the future home of FC Barcelona, which was officially unveiled on Thursday

The presentation of the New Camp Nou has hit the headlines all around the world. Both sporting and general interest papers in every continent have reported excitedly on the future stadium set to be completed in 2022.

English-speaking media, like The Guardian, Sky Sports, CBS Sports and ESPN have all reacted positively to the news. As has the Spanish language press, and that’s not just in Spain, but also in Mexico Televisa, the USA Univision and Argentina Olé and La Nación to cite just a handful of examples.

In other countries, like Italy (La Gazzetta dello Sport) and Portugal (A Bola), the storuy has also been covered, And it’s a story that’s only just beginning.


NEW CAMP NOU - A dream open to the world: this... by fcbarcelona

“Spectacular design for super stadium”

British tabloid The Sun was gushing with praise for the project in a piece titled ‘Barcelona reveal plans for breath-taking 105,000-seater new Camp Nou,’ describing it as a “spectacular design for super stadium”.

Thursday’s presentation of the plans for the New Camp Nou generated huge expectation among the football world. More than 150 reporters from 60 different media outlets covered the announcement live.

ALL ABOUT THE NEW CAMP NOU

The New Camp Nou in six videos

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The New Camp Nou will be able to hold 105,000 spectators / FCB
Learn all about the design of the future home of Futbol Club Barcelona

1. Building dreams


2. Catalan roots, Japanese vision

3. The model

3. Open to the world

5. Phased construction without interrupting games

6. Bartomeu, Moix, Luis Enrique and the captains unveil the model


Camp Nou pays tribute to Quini

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Josep Maria Bartomeu and Quini with the insignia / GERMAN PARGA - FCB
The illustrious former blaugrana receives a commemortative Club badge and is given an ovation when he comes on to the pitch by the Barça fans

Enrique Castro ‘Quini’ received a warm tribute from the Club and fans before the game between FC Barcelona and Sporting Gijón. The president Josep Maria Bartomeu presented the former Barça player with a golden Club badge in the President Suñol Box in recognition of his career as a player, his loyalty to the Club and his emotional bond with the fans.

Quini appeared delighted and spoke to Barça TV afterwards. “This recognition is very emotional for me. I have to admit I am still shaking,” said the Asturian, “here at Camp Nou I have always been treated unbelievably well. People still remember me after so much time and that is nice to be recognised outside your home area.

After the presentation, ‘El Brujo’ went down to the pitch to salute the fans and he received a great ovation. Quini played for Barça between 1980 and 1984, scoring 101 goals in his 178 matches for the blaugranes.

Quini saluting the crowd at Camp Nou / MIGUEL RUIZ - FCB

Members buy 6,066 Copa del Rey Final tickets in first four hours

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Copa del Reiy Final 2015
The Club apologises for certain technical difficulties on one of the platforms due to the massive response saturating the system

On Monday at 10.00am CFET, online ticket sales opened for the Copa del Rey final against Sevilla on May 22 at the Vicente Calderón. A massive 6,066 tickets were sold in the first four hours via the club website at www.fcbarelona.com of the 13,125 that were drawn for members, who have until Friday 29 April to book their seats in the stadium.

This method ensures that all members have the same options for seat allocation, as they can select the seat and price while checking the availability in the Calderón. It also avoids long bothersome queues at the ticket offices, as is often the case for finals like this.

The system has been boosted with two external sales methods this season. However, due to the high numbers of applications, there were some technical difficulties this morning for which the Club sincerely apologises.

Former Barça stars in awe of the New Camp Nou

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Bakero and Belletti, with Alfonseda and Rexach at the presentation of the New Camp Nou / MIGUEL RUIZ - FCB
Juliano Belletti, José Maria Bakero, Juan Manuel Asensi and Steve Archibald talk about the new stadium

El Nou Camp Nou segueix aplegant elogis al voltant de la família blaugrana. En aquest sentit, diversos exjugadors que han estat importants en la història del Barça han considerat espectacular el nou Estadi. “És un pas important per tal de ser una referència”, assegura Belletti.

José Maria Bakero també destaca la sensació de pressió cap als jugadors que donarà la nova cobertura: “La gent estarà més a sobre dels jugadors al se un estadi més tancat”. La possibilitat de contemplar la ciutat de Barcelona és un altre dels aspectes millor valorats: “M’agrada perquè és una molt bona idea i serà únic al món”, afirma Asensi, mentre que Archibald afegeix que “serà modern i amb feeling”.

Win two tickets and a travel package to the Copa del Rey Final

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Participate and win! / FCB
From this Tuesday through Sunday, 8 May, Barça fans can participate in the draw for 2 VIP tickets to the final on 22 May at the Vicente Calderón, with travel and accommodation included

We are now less than a month away from the final of the 2016 Copa del Rey between FC Barcelona and Sevilla FC!

To help celebrate, FC Barcelona has launched a campaign for Barça fans anywhere in the world to have the chance to be there and is holding a draw for which the lucky winner will be able to travel to Madrid with the companion of their choice to live a once-in-a-lifetime experience by going to the final match and cheering for Barça at the Vicente Calderón Stadium.

Participation is free because FC Barcelona is "More than a club" and wants to stir the enthusiasm of millions of its fans scattered around the globe.

A special website will be active for two weeks where anyone who wants to participate can do just that. The winner will enjoy a VIP experience which includes the following:

• Round trip plane tickets from the airport nearest to their city of residence to Madrid for the winner and their companion
• VIP ticket to the final of the Copa del Rey
• Two nights hotel accommodation in Madrid
• Transfers between Madrid airport and the hotel.

Participate!

To participate in the draw just click the button below and fill in the required fields.

Participate!

FC Barcelona mourns loss of Manel Vich, the voice of the Camp Nou

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Manel Vich in the stadium where his voice has been heard so many times / GERMÁN PARGA-FCB
The Camp Nou stadium announcer, whose iconic voice has been known and loved by thousands of supporters for six decades, passes away on Friday 29 April

Three days of mourning

FC Barcelona has announced three days of mourning in honour of the death of Manel Vich. This weekend, all of the club’s teams shall observe a minute of silence and wear black armbands in his memory.

FC Barcelona is in mourning following the death of Manel Vich, the stadium announcer at the Camp Nou for almost sixty years. Because of his delicate health, the 78-year-old was unable to perform his regular duties for the last game at the Camp Nou, against Sporting, and on Friday 29 April, he sadly passed away.

Born in Barcelona on 12 March 1938, Manel Vich Sánchez became a club member at the age of 15. He made his living in the textiles industry, but his dream was always to become a radio presenter. Although he did spend some time covering Barça games on “La Veu de Catalunya” for Radio Hospitalet, he never got the break he was looking for. But from 1958 onwards, his name would forever be associated to the club he loved.

First at Les Corts

On the night of 10 September 1958, at the old Les Corts ground, a testimonial between Barça and Elche was played in honour of legendary striker César Rodríguez. At half-time, a voice suddenly broke out over the stadium loudspeaker system announcing the gifts that César had received. It was a 20 year old Manel Vich, who had been hired for the job by FCB head of staff Ricard Combas.

The idea was such a success that Combas offered Vich the opportunity to welcome the fans to every game from then on. And he continued to do so ever since. In six decades, Vich would only miss four games, two when he was undergoing surgery, once for his daughter’s wedding and for last week’s game with Sporting.

Defender of Catalan

For many years, and by governmental orders, Vich was obliged to make all of his announcements in the Spanish language. But on 3 September 1972, and for the first time ever, his voice came over the Camp Nou PA system in Catalan. “A child is lost and is waiting at the grandstand entrance”, he said. He was met with a furious response from government minister Tomás Garicano Goñi, who was in the president’s box, and Catalan would not be heard again in the stadium until 26 August 1975.

On 2 September 2012, forty years on from that moment and occasion of a league game with Valencia, Manel Vich looked back on the incident and said “it is an honour for me, after 40 years, to be able to carry on speaking my language, our language.”

Four years earlier, on 25 October 2008, and following a game with Almeria, FC Barcelona honoured fifty years of service as ‘the voice of the Camp Nou’ by presenting him with a commemorative plaque. And just a few weeks ago, he was also surprised by members of the Board of Directors, who wished him a happy 78th birthday.

Dearly loved

There was something enchanting about Manel Vich’s voice. It had a dignified an air of respect, politeness and responsibility. Whether it was to read out the team line-ups, name substitutions, make service announcements or call for a minute’s silence, his voice became synonymous with the experience of watching a game at the Camp Nou. It will never be the same without him. May he rest in peace.


Manel Vich, the voice of Barça | Manel Vich, la... by fcbarcelona

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