FCBARCELONA.CAT

06.08.2008 06:56

Assembly on 24 August

David Saura (enviat especial)

Chairman Joan Laporta has announced that the General Assembly will be held on Sunday 24 August after neither potential Champions League rival agreed to change the order of the matches.

In New York, where he is accompanying the team on its On Tour USA 2008, Joan Laporta has announced that the assembly of delegates will take place on 24 August. Neither Beitar Jerusalem nor Wisla Krakow has agreed to change the order of the Champions League qualifying games. Barça wanted to play the second leg at the Camp Nou on the 27th and hold the assembly on the same day.

Before the League begins

“We’ve done everything we can to change the order of the games but it hasn’t been possible,” said Joan Laporta. He emphasised that he did not want to delay the assembly any longer: “I think this question needs to be settled before the League starts (weekend of 30/31 August), because I don’t want the decision to submit my job to the convention delegates to generate instability, especially in a season where we are hoping for a lot.”

The club chairman ruled out the day of the Gamper Trophy (16 August) because it was too close and right next to the public holiday on the 15th. He noted that convention delegates would have to vote on the highest budget in the club’s history and decide on his continuity as chairman: “The sooner this issue is settled the better. I want the chairman of Barça to be able to be present at the first League game.”

Continuity of Samuel Eto'o

Joan Laporta also referred to the possibility that Samuel Eto'o may stay, something which he repeated needs to be settled before the Champions League qualifiers. He highlighted “the player’s attitude” during the first part of the preseason: “Eto'o is a great player and a great person. We all need to play our parts so that the final decision is in the best interests of the club.”

The chairman pointed out that Samuel Eto'o’s future was a “technical and sports decision” and that the person who needs time to weigh it up is the manager, because “he’s been with him and seen how his attitude is very positive.”