31.07.2009 21:29
David Saura (enviat especial) / Jordi Clos
manager Bobby Robson. The president described him as a “gentleman of football” and highlighted the “personal and professional” legacy he left, whilst coach Guardiola spoke of the “marvelous experience” of working with him.
As soon as he awoke in the United States, Joan Laporta was told of the death of Sir Bobby
Robson. The club president had the following to say about the sad loss of the former manager.
“We will always have personal and professional memories of him. He was a gentleman of
football, and at Barça he also won a treble (Super cup, Cup Winners Cups and Copa del Rey)”.
Robson’s year
Laporta remembers the year that Robson was in charge of the team. “It came at
a time when we had won everything and in the time he was with us he got some good results. We are
very grateful for that … only a man of his experience could have dealt with the situation
like he did.” As the president remembers, he had one of the best careers behind him of any
manager in his day.
Last visit
Sir Bobby Robson was back in Barcelona only recently for professional reasons. “He came
to the Camp Nou not long ago and we had the pleasure of looking after him. He really was a charming
man, a true gentleman. Nobody could have a bad word to say about him”. Laporta also said that
“he always spoke well of Barça and always showed great love for the club”. He added
that FC Barcelona would be represented at the former manager’s funeral, probably by one of
the vice presidents.
Guardiola: “I was so lucky to know him”
Pep Guardiola played under Robson during his time at the club and after training
also spoke of his sadness at the loss of his ex-manager: “I was so lucky to know him. It was
a pleasure and a privilege, not just as a manager, but also as a person. It was a marvelous
experience”.
Giuardiola remembers the 96/97 season as: “a complicated year, even though we won three
competitions. He showed he knew how this game works and he was determined to stick to his ideas.
Despite all the problems there were that year he never lost his composure and always behaved like a
gentleman”.
Untroubled by doping allegations
Finally, Guardiola explained he was “untroubled” by the decision of the Italian
Olympic Committee to reopen the doping case brought against him when he was a Brescia player:
“it’s a minor matter. As far as I’m concerned I’ve been cleared and
that’s it”. Guardiola was cleared by the Brecsia appeals couort in 2007 and again in
2009 by the Italian Football Federation.
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The club has asked the organisers of Barça’s game with LA Galaxy if a minute’s silence can be respected before the game kicks off. The players will also wear black armbands in memory of Bobby Robson.