Víctor Font spoke to different media to discuss the current crisis in which the Catalan club finds itself and, also, to explain his project prepared for Barça which he will present in the upcoming elections.
The elections for Barcelona’s presidency will take place from March 15, 2021, as was officially announced by the club earlier this week, therefore the current board will assume the responsibilities of the club until the end of next season.
Although it seems a date close, the days could be prolonged after the debacle in Lisbon that finally marks the end of an era and tough times ahead, which has led to new planning of the club without Quique Setién, first-team manager, and Éric Abidal, technical secretary. As a first step, Josep Bartomeu has confirmed during an interview on Barça TV that he will not resign and has affirmed that Ronald Koeman will be the new coach of the first team.
As a consequence of the current crisis in Can Barça, several people have given their opinion and analysis in this regard through different platforms. Víctor Font as a formal candidate for the presidency through his Sí Al Futur campaign and as a Barça soci, gave interviews to RAC1, Cadena SER and COPE.
The tough defeat in Lisbon against Bayern Munich
“I was ashamed with 2-8, like all the Catalans. The exit from the Champions League is worldwide. It is an earthquake that can have relevant effects on the institution.”
“I thought we had hit rock bottom on 2-8 but every day we get worse. The interview with Bartomeu has been nonsense as if nothing had happened.”
“Bartomeu should have resigned after the game, the interests of the club are above all. This is the result of mismanagement in recent years.”
On the current administration of President Josep Bartomeu
“Bartomeu the worst president in the history of Barcelona? Well, one of the worst for sure.”
“Bartomeu lives disconnected from reality. I don’t know if he doesn’t talk to people or read the press but they don’t assume responsibilities, they seek to protect their interests.”
“Vote of no confidence? If you do not know how it works, the answer is yes. The problem is making a motion today has some very big complications and that show that statutory changes need to be made. We will not make a motion but we will support the motion that exists.”
“I offered my help to Bartomeu during the pandemic, but he did not reply to my messages.”
“Espai Barça should be frozen. Listening to Bartomeu, it seems to be an insult that he intends to carry it out. A referendum cannot be held and we fear that they will want to use the Assembly to move it forward. There are also more important issues on the table.”
The arrival of Ronald Koeman
“Koeman has to be thanked for wanting to come at this time, but it is a misfortune. He is a legend of the club and the chances of success without a structure or project for the future is a risk that should be avoided. He would not be our coach if we win.”
“Even if Koeman has a great season, I would not change my plans. If I become president, Koeman will not be the coach in 2021/2022, he would not remain at the club with us.”
Víctor Font’s project for Barça
“Given the reality that we now have at the club, only with a solid project and not an improvised candidacy with 5-7 months to go, we will be guaranteed to face this great challenge.”
“We would like people like Laporta if we have the honour to command, to contribute to help. We believe that he can have important functions and roles within the institution. We try to ensure that the Boards are not agents, we want to avoid the dynamics of the political party.”
“Only Xavi or Guardiola can lead the project, and we have chosen Xavi.”
“I have not signed a contract with Xavi so that he does not go with any other candidate. We are lucky and have the advantage of having worked a project from top to bottom with him. It is also his project. And he is our haystack.”
“Xavi understands that all the pieces of the club have to fit together. A Board of Directors that lets whoever leads the sports project work, which in our case would be Xavi.”
“There is no doubt that Xavi counts on Leo Messi for 2021.”
“The critical situation that the club is experiencing both at a sporting, economic and institutional level makes Messi go in the last years with frustration.”
“We must ensure that Messi ends his career at Barça and then continues linked to the club to help it grow. It is a great misfortune that his continuity is questioned due to the situation the club is experiencing.”
