The façade of the Gran Teatre del Liceu was dyed blaugrana. His interior was filled with nostalgia. Of memories. From people who have been part of the 125 years of history of FC Barcelona. Past and present were spread across the six floors of one of the largest opera halls in the world. Members of the Dream Team such as Ronald Koeman, Jose Mari Bakero and Guillermo Amor hugged. Also Hristo Stoichkov, Ballon d’Or winner who stopped to chat with Alexia, another Ballon d’Or winner. And with Xavi Hernández who sat next to Johan’s son Cruyff, his also friend Jordi Cruyff. In front, another former technician stood. Frank Rijkaard. The last to arrive was Gerard Piqué, who greeted former goalkeeper Carlos Busquets, father of Sergio Busquets. Absent from the gala as he was in Miami, just like Luis Suárez, Jordi Alba and, of course, Leo Messi. Without a doubt the most notable absence of the event. There was no shortage of representatives from Catalan public institutions such as Josep Rull, president of the Parliament of Catalonia, and Jaume Collboni, mayor of Barcelona. Or the former presidents of the Generalitat Jordi Pujol, Artur Mas, Joaquim Torra and Pere Aragonès.
The historical journey to understand the meaning of the Més que un club began with Pep Anton Muñoz playing Joan Gamper, the founder of the entity on November 29, 1899 with a discreet advertisement in a newspaper. President Joan Laporta spoke. His had to be a testimonial role. But the president, true to his style, ended up breaking the script by acting as master of ceremonies at the gala.
To begin, Laporta gave a 25-minute speech. Remembering. To Samitier and Alcántara, from Barça in the 1930s. To Johan Cruyff’s Barça, with Sotil and Sadurní. “We also had Migueli, Krankl and Rexach. Those who won the Basel Cup Winners’ Cup. And the intense 80s, with the Venables League,” he recalled.
It was a matter of seconds before he got excited. He did it five times. The first remembering the Dream Team that Johan Cruyff, the flying Dutchman, later trained. “In that team, there was a player who led us to glory at Wembley: Ronald Koeman,” Laporta said. The hero of the first European Cup and former first team coach responded with a greeting. Burying the bitter memory of his departure from the club. Just like Xavi Hernández who smiled when Laporta, excited again, told him: “You won a League and a Super Cup that gave us hope.” The president also broke down remembering another former coach, Frank Rijkard. “You took us to Paris in 2006 with legendary players like Ronaldinho.”
There was no shortage of mentions of Guardiola’s and Luis Enrique’s Barça. It was then when the name of Leo Messi appeared. Laporta, breaking for the fourth time, noted that “he is the best player of all time.”
The 4 former presidents looked at him very seriously, almost in the first row. Barça invited Joan Gaspart (2000-03), Enric Reyna (2003), Sandro Rosell (2010-14) and Josep Maria Bartomeu (2014-20). For the latter, it was his first appearance since he resigned as president of FC Barcelona. He discreetly entered the theater, almost unnoticed.
Laporta finished, almost in tears, with “Barça is the emotional axis of our lives. “All of us culés know that if we play together, we play better.” And he sat down, although for a short time.
The script continued with the presentation by Sandra Sabatés (La Sexta) and Llorenç Tarrés (Barça One). There were touches of humor that balanced so much feeling. Especially brilliant were the gags of comedians Toni Albà and Jordi Ríos imitating Johan Cruyff and Carles Rexach from a side box. It was all laughter that later turned into applause with the videos of Iniesta, Romario, Busquets, Evaristo, Luis Enrique, David Villa, Luis Suárez, Rivaldo, Jordi Alba, Puyol, Neymar, Cholo Sotil, Zubizarreta, Ronaldinho and Leo Messi congratulating the Barça. Also from Aitana Bonmatí, who could not attend because the RFEF did not give her permission as she was concentrated with the Spanish team. Alexia Putellas did speak. “I’m very excited. We culés have been excited all day,” acknowledged the captain. “The Ballon d’Ors are very good, but I’ll take the titles: three Champions Leagues in four years, five consecutive Leagues. This year we will try again,” he promised.
Nobody spoke about the first men’s team. Gavi and Lamine Yamal almost escaped from the stage when Laporta wanted to take a selfie of the theater with the new mascot, a cat called CAT in the colors of Barça and Catalunya. This was before Pep Guardiola, with a video, used the lyrics of Manel’s song Aniversari to congratulate the club. In the video you could tell that he recorded it this week because he still had a slight scratch on his nose.
And then came Pep Plaza’s excellent performance imitating Núñez, Gaspart, Laporta, Messi, Iniesta and Luis Enrique. “What happens from now on you have to write,” he insisted. Directing his gaze to Lamine Yamal who smiled shyly. Also when he saw that he closed the list of the club’s historic Champions League goals. From Kubala, passing through Cruyff, Koeman, Ronaldinho, Belletti, Rivaldo, Eto’o, Messi, Iniesta, Suárez, Aitana or Alexia.
But Més que un Club also includes the sections. Juan Carlos Navarro, Enric Masip, Gaby Cairo and Jordi Torras remembered him as legends of basketball, handball, roller hockey and indoor soccer. It was 9:30 p.m. Hansi Flick, Barça coach, male looked at his watch. The team plays today against Las Palmas so they left the theater. To replace them, Laporta improvised by calling practically all the guests such as Koeman, Bakero, Alexia, Kluivert or Xavi to blow out the candles on a cake. Afterwards, the president closed the gala by practically singing the Cant of Barça.
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