Sandro Rosell: “Barça will be eternally grateful to the greatest manager in our history”

The Barça president has expressed “the club’s utmost respect” for Josep Guardiola after his decision not to stay on as manager next season and has thanked him for everything he has done for what he calls “your Barça”.

After stating that the aim is to be able to administrate “Pep’s legacy”, Rosell announced that the next manager of FC Barcelona will be Tito Vilanova.

Sandro Rosell has announced on Friday that Josep Guardiola will not be staying on next season. He described the decision as “the most difficult” that he has had to accept in his time as president of FC Barcelona. After expressing “the club’s utmost respect” for the outgoing manager’s decision, the Barcelona president highlighted that “the club is more mature and solid than ever … which has to be the basis for consolidating a strong and unified future”.

The president constantly reiterated his gratitude to Guardiola, and for a number of reasons. “For the happiness you have given us and for all you have done for your Barça; for having perfected a footballing model that can never be questioned again; for having represented the institution in such an exemplary fashion, honouring the values that define us as a Club; for all your support, affection and love”.

It is for all these reasons that Sandro Rosell has no doubt that fans “will be eternally grateful to the greatest manger in our history … with all my heart, thank you very much, Pep”, the president reiterated.

Looking ahead to next season, Rosell expressed aloud his desire for the club to administer the legacy that Guardiola has left, and what he says will always be called “the Pep system.” Having revealed that Tito Vilanova will be the next FC Barcelona manager, the president said that he is convinced that “he will be working from an excellent base … he has to improve whatever he can and never settle for things as they are”.

The trophy of pride

Rather than any of the many trophies that FC Barcelona have won in the last four seasons, Sandro Rosell feels that what matters the most about everything Guardiola has achieved “is not any particular championship, but rather the trophy of pride. It is thanks to him the we have won it. Since I can remember being a Barça fan, I have never seen a reaction like the one I saw on Tuesday at the Camp Nou. It’s clearly not a trophy that will ever be in the museum, but it will always be there in the spirit of the Camp Nou”. (via FCBarcelona.cat)

Rosell and Zubizarreta came together ... and on Thursday it is up to Guardiola

FC Barcelona and works fully in planning for next season. Sandro Rosell met Wednesday with Andoni Zubizarreta. And on Thursday it appears that will do so with Pep Guardiola.

Club azulgrana president, Sandro Rosell, met Wednesday afternoon with the director of professional football area, Andoni Zubizarreta, to address various aspects of what has to be Barça 2012/13.

The summit took place in the office of Rosell at the offices of the club, started about six o'clock in the afternoon and lasted a little over an hour.

One issue that surely came to the fore, was the future of Pep Guardiola. The Barcelonista coach contract ends on 30 June, and has not communicated its decision to continue or not.

The coach himself admitted, after completing the Barça-Chelsea, who once ruled the team's options in the Champions League and the theme of renewal "and tap", but did not specify in what way or what his decision.

In any case, it is clear that the mystery about its continuity, or otherwise, at Barça will be unveiled shortly. This Thursday there could be a meeting between Rosell and Guardiola to clarify the situation permanently. (via SPORT)

Rosell: “I’m proud of the attitude of the players, the coaches and the fans”

The Barça President expressed his regret at the defeat but also his pride at the attitude of the players and the fans who: “gave a message of maturity tonight”.

As to Guardiola’s future, the President declared: “we are still confident of renewing his contract . I’m sure that if he’s made his mind up, he’ll let us know when he thinks it’s best”.

Sandro Rosell spoke to reporters just after the defeat to Chelsea and declared: “it’s a real blow. I want to congratulate Chelsea. This hasn’t been a good week for the Club members, but we’ve given a message of maturity tonight. We showed ourselves to be a civilised crowd, who supported the players and the coaches at all times. We lost and that’s part of the game, but we couldn’t ask for any more from the players. I am proud of them and the coaching staff, but especially of the fans who have shown that they are the best in the world”.

Rosell continued: “the team has shown character and a desire to win the tie. It’s a game and tonight we didn’t have the luck we needed. We had many more chances than they did, but they beat us”. The President had earlier gone down to the changing rooms to speak to the players: “I wanted to shake their hands and congratulate them on their attitude and the great image they showed the whole world. I guess that like all Barça fans I was confident we would get through, but when we got into the last quarter of an hour, you could see it was really hard for us - the ball just didn’t want to go in, we’ve simply got to accept that”.

Rosell was asked about Leo Messi and he was quick to make it clear that: “Messi has already given us so much – there’s no more to say. He’s still the best player in the world and we are very lucky to have him here with us. He was unlucky with the penalty. Our opponents know he’s the best and they put two or three players onto him”.

Guardiola announced that he would be meeting with Rosell to clarify his future and the President reiterated the board’s desire for him to continue at the Club: “we are still confident of renewing his contract . I’m sure that if he’s made his mind up, he’ll let us know when he thinks it’s best. We are all confident that the group will stay together and that next year we’ll be in with a good chance again to win all the competitions at this stage of the season. Right now, we need to deal with the defeat – there will be time to talk about the future”. (via FCBarcelona.com)

Rosell: "Our economic model is Bayern Munich"

"In football there are cycles and there will be a day that Barça will not win."
"Messi is not for sale" by a lot of money that is offered to the club.
"We have imposed a policy of extreme austerity two years."

The president of Barcelona, Sandro Rosell, said that the model never give up football today, but has stated that in the economic field there are improvements that make following the path of German Bayern Munich.

In a Sunday interview with the French newspaper "L'Equipe", which devotes a special Barcelona, ​​Rosell said that "we will ensure that in future our guys continue to play with the same approach." "Barca have won some titles in a style that is not theirs. To the members did not like, were not happy despite the victory," said Barcelona president.

Rosell said that "after winning all their" club "should be maintained, trying to follow among the best in the field and off." "In football there are cycles and there will be a day that Barça will not win. At that time we will continue to defend our exemplar, our uniqueness. And off the field is where you get it, because by dint of perseverance, success becomes the field," noted.

The President considered that their project is "to making the Barça also an economic model," which was not in recent years. "We inherited a debt of 500 million euros. We have imposed a policy of extreme austerity for two years and have received support from the Foundation of Qatar. Without that help we would be in great difficulty," he said.

Rosell said he hoped to place on the club's constitution some rules, such as the debt is "acceptable" or that jeopardizes the heritage of the club, as he said "was about to do" his predecessor Joan Laporta.

Rosell said support reforms of the UEFA president, Michel Platini, including the defense of the clubs that are not corporations. "Competition with corporations is difficult (...) but long term we who have more success. A millionaire, a patron, comes one day get tired of putting money and the club ceases to exist," said .

In this sense, Rosell said: "Messi is not for sale" how much money you are offered. "A corporation would sell because it is a company seeking profits. It is not our case," he said. (via MD)

Rosell: "Abidal and his cousin do very well"

Sandro Rosell expected to be "a great day" with Abidal recovery that is under observation.

Sandro Rosell attended the launch of a campaign on youth and unemployment by the Archbishop of Barcelona, Lluis Martinez-Sistach, and the president of RCD Espanyol, Barcelona Ramon, and referred to the state of Abidal after his liver transplant operation.

The Barça president could not hide his optimism and gave a message of hope to finish all the best.

"Today might be a day round because we know that Abidal and his cousin do very well after the operation," he said, as recorded by Catalunya Radio.

For now, the French defender is under observation for a period of 48 hours.

As to whether continue the match between Atlético Madrid and Real Madrid, Rosell said: "Not if I see him, I think I have a dinner, do not know yet if I can see." (via SPORT)