The Catalan Joan Casals, for many the historic Avi of Barça, died this Wednesday at the age of 90.
Born in Guardiola de Berguedà, in Barcelona, he became one of the most endearing characters of Blaugrana news, attending all kinds of events, especially the different clubs spread throughout the Catalan territory.
It was in 1984 when his life changed completely. In the Joan Gamper Trophy, which Barça ended up winning after beating Bayern Munich in the final 3-1, Casals went to the Camp Nou dressed in the Blaugrana shirt and a barretina, which, added to his physical features, made many fans They will identify him as l'Avi del Barça. The rest is history.
In fact, the figure of Barça's Avi became so popular that even the club itself, in 2007, named Joan Casals as the club's official representative at supporters club meetings.
However, the Grandfather of Barça predates Casals. It is a character created by the Barcelona cartoonist Valentí Castanys who allegorically represents FC Barcelona. He made his first appearance on October 29, 1924 in the magazine Chut! and since it was a man with a white beard dressed in the Blaugrana kit, it was not surprising that Casals was considered his replica in real life.
The weekly closed in 1936 but Castanys continued drawing his beloved character in the magazine El Once until his death in 1965, at the age of 67. Seven years after his death, Barça inaugurated a sculpture of l'Avi del Barça in the gardens of La Masia as a tribute. It was a work by Josep Viladomat and it also coincided with the 15th anniversary of the Camp Nou.
The news of the death of Joan Casals has caused a stir in Barcelona fans. Journalists, clubs and even players trained in the lower categories, such as Marc Bartra, have mourned his death. "Today Barça is in mourning," wrote the current Betis player, who already shared a photo with Casals in 2014 at the inauguration of the Peña Blaugrana Marc Bartra in Sant Jaume dels Domenys.
