13.12.2010 19:17

Rosell very pleased with agreement

Anna Segura

President Sandro Rosell has spoken about how happy he is that FC Barcelona have signed a shirt-sponsorship agreement today with the Qatar Foundation, but commented that the decision still has to be accepted by the Assembly.

The sponsorship deal for advertising on the FC Barcelona shirt by Qatar Foundation , via Qatar Sports Investment, was signed today Monday in Sala París, watched by several club dignitaries and people from the world of sport who wanted to witness this historic moment for the club. President Rosell, who is fully aware of the importance of this moment, thanked everybody whose work has made this deal possible.

165 million euros

The president is delighted that Qatar Sports Investment will be providing 165 million euros to FC Barcelona. “That once again puts Barça at the forefront of world football” he said. “If I was a rival team, I’d be worried, because any rival team would want to do what we’re doing here now”.

Assembly approval

Rosell commented that back in 2003, the members’ assembly accepted the proposal to look for possible shirt sponsors, and so this deal does not need any type of ratification. However, he has said that he will be providing full information to the next Assembly and “if the Assembly opposes the agreement with Qatar, we’ll withdraw. What the Assembly says is what counts ".

“It is still a charitable shirt”

Rosell also said that the agreement with Barça “is not with a brand but with a foundation … We still have a charitable shirt” and highlighted how the Qatar Foundation shares very similar values to those of Barça.

Filling holes

The money that FC Barcelona get from this agreement will be used “to cover the debt, that’s the most urgent thing. That’s what will make us stronger in the future … we have to take one step back to take three steps forward”.

The president argued that the club’s delicate financial condition is what obliged them to seek out a shirt sponsor. The FC Barcelona directors have already turned down several ways of reducing the debt, which could, for example, have involved raising membership fees, selling assets or eliminating some teams. “We preferred to sell marketing”, he said.