FCBARCELONA.CAT

13.01.2009 18:00

New projects for Ciudad Deportiva

Míriam Nadal

A new tertiary building, the new La Masía building and the resolution of three judicial sentences were the main subjects dealt with the by the Board of Directors at their meeting in Sant Joan Despí.

The Ciudad Deportiva Joan Gamper was the venue for the Board meeting held today in Sant Joan Despí. The vice president for the Area of Patrimony, Joan Franquesa, was the man responsible for explaining to the media what the board had made of the space and also about future plans for the facilities.

A centre of economic activity

Joan Franquesa reported that as a result of the revision of the Plan de Sant Joan Despí, a site owned by FC Barcelona alongside the actual sports pavilion will now serve for new tertiary purposes. A new “financial activity” centre will be set up there, and this change of uses will have immediate economic repercussions, because it will increase the club’s assets.

New resources

This means the facilities will not only serve as a sports centre, but also for economic activity on the FC Barcelona grounds. Therefore, this is not just a new asset, but also a source of financial gain for the club. The aim is for the Ciudad Deportiva Joan Gamper to have and generate new wealth. Therefore, new resources will be developed as a result of this plan. The Sant Joan Despí council will approve and declare closed the enquiry regarding the modification later in the month of January.

A Masía for training camps

As for the new residence for the club’s youth teams, the director announced that they now have a licence and can therefore go ahead with the construction. “This versatile building is not just for the children living inside but can also be used by clubs and national teams for training camps. We now have a licence, which may well be awarded in February and we will have it by the third trimester of next year”.

Television rights

On other issues, the Board of Directors was informed, as explained by first vice president Alfons Godall, of three judicial cases.

The first was in relation to Sogecable’s claim against Barça for television rights to international competitions played between the 2003/04 and 2007/08 seasons. The hearing has accepted the allegations made by Barça against Telefónica Mèdia and also those made by Sogecable against Barça. FC Barcelona will therefore receive 30 million from Telefonica, but will have to pay almost 60 million to Sogecable.

Laporta added, however, that this does not suppose any “impact on the club treasury, because we have been guaranteed 30 million by TV3”.

The Baena affair

As for the claim made by FC Barcelona against José Raul Baena for his failure to see out his contract, the allegations were partially accepted by the tribunal, and the player now on Espanyol’s books is obliged to pay 500,000 euros. “We have a positive view of this sentence, as it values the work to protect Barça’s youth structure”, explained Franquesa.

Àngel Caballero claim rejected

The third judicial sentence has accepted FC Barcelona’s case against the demand made by Àngel Caballero against the club. Caballero was claiming payment of 1.8 million dollars as commission for the transfer of Giovani Deiberson in 2001. The court rejected the claim.