"The challenge to sign was so great, that I spent the whole summer suffering to be able to reach the 1/1 rule that the League asked us to be able to rebuild the team. There are tough fair play rules imposed by LaLiga". Word from Mateu Alemany, football director of FC Barcelona and main promoter of the club's new strategy to lead the exit operation and also to sign.
“We have focused on renewing young players and cutting contracts for veteran players, over 30 years old. More and more we have to focus on the market of free players. This year we have done it with Kessié, Christensen, Marcos Alonso and Bellerin and there are many more to come. Pablo Torre is a player for the future, Koundé, Raphinha and Lewandowski have given us a leap in quality to the squad. All three have shown that they wanted to come here” added Alemany.
Special mention that Alemany dedicated to Robert Lewandowski. “Despite the fact that he has just turned 34, what he shows us every day is that his real age is 24 years old. His attitude, on a daily basis, in training, on trips, with teammates... 'presi', I have to tell you that you were right", he slipped, drawing a smile from Joan Laporta.
The club also trusts that Alemany, always supported by the president and by the rest of the members of the sports management, will manage to lighten a wage bill that should range between 425 and 450 million. “Now we are 100 million above. But the bonus policy has been changed compared to the past. Before there was a fixed one, plus some almost fixed bonuses. Now the bonuses are 60% of the matches as starters and secondly, for the titles won. We have to promote meritocracy. A young player, depending on his performance, they have the right to charge more if they give a great performance", explained Alemany.
In the departures chapter, the director of football finished his speech by confirming the agreement with Atlético de Madrid for the transfer of Antoine Griezmann for 20 million euros and 4 million in variables. "Griezmann has closed this week and I think that, in my opinion, it has been important because we took away an important salary," he slipped.
He also spoke of another transferred footballer, such as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who went to Chelsea for 12 million euros after leaving his mark for six months at the Barça club, where he arrived with Arsenal's freedom letter: "Aubameyang's was a extraordinary operation, not only because economically it was good, but also because it generated fair play for us," concluded Alemany.
During this Assembly, the president Joan Laporta also took the opportunity to refer to the arbitration controversy of the last Champions League match, in which they annulled a goal against Pedri and failed to point out a clear penalty at the hands of Dumfries. "The arbitration that we suffered in Milan was shameful. Not only because of what the referee didn't see, but above all because the referee who was in the room didn't see it," said the Barça manager.
Laporta pointed directly at Van Boekel, the VAR judge: "A room referee who already took a clear penalty from Dembélé in Munich", he recalled and added: "Apparently the VAR referee was Dutch, it seems that he has it with We [laughs] We will do everything possible to avoid this again because it is a prejudice to our club and it alters the competition."
For the Barça president there was also “a very clear penalty against Lewandowski, which was not awarded either”, although he is confident that his team will recover from the bad start in Europe: “If we don't win the Champions League, we will try to overcome it. Now I don't think about it, I think we all agree that we can beat Inter, Bayern and win the field of Viktoria Pilsen", he has sentenced.
