Highlights:
- FC Barcelona’s Presidential candidate Agusti Benedito talks to Goal about his plans
- Agusti Benedito said the first thing he will do is call Monchi
- Things might not be so good for Lionel Messi if Benedito becomes the President
FC Barcelona’s presidential candidate Agusti Benedito claims that he will bring in Ramón Rodríguez Verdejo, commonly known as Monchi, if he becomes the President of the club, to shake things, especially with the club’s much-derided transfer policy.
Benedito also admitting that Lionel Messi’s continued reluctance to commit his future at Camp Nou is troublesome for him.
Benedito has been a former ally of Joan Laporta, who is also running for the presidentship, prior to his election win in 2003. Benedito has twice run for the Presidency at FC Barcelona, and remained unsuccessful both times.
However, maybe third time’s a charm, as they say, and the 56-year-old is confident of winning the Presidency and taking the top job from June 25 onwards.
If he indeed becomes the Preside of GFC Barcelona, the famous Sevilla sporting director Monchi will be given the opportunity to revolutionise the Barca side which has endured a torrid 2020 on the field.
Also Read: Barcelona’s Presidential Candidate Laporta Says “The Messi Situation is Reversible”
Speaking to Goal.com which is the world’s largest online football publication and the 2nd biggest online sports publication in the world behind ESPN, Benedito said, “We met in 2015 several times with Koeman and he had strong ideas. I think he will open a spell that lasts several years at the helm”.
Benedito said, “In terms of sporting direction, back then we bet on Monchi and we spoke to him, too. I still think he is in the top three in the world and would be a brilliant addition.
“Back then it seemed he would never leave Sevilla and then he went to Italy and came back. The first thing I will do if I am president will be to call Monchi and try to convince him.
“Neymar? Let’s see how he gets on with Covid-19! But I’m not sure he’d agree either in 2021 nor 2022. I don’t think this is the time to be signing that kind of player and I don’t think Qatar will let him go either.
“They are organising the World Cup finals, the investment is huge, they have a top club in world football like PSG and I think that not only will they try to keep those kind of players but that they will also go out looking for new signings.
“I think this summer we will be more focused on convincing Messi to stay than on Neymar’s return,” he said while speaking to Goal.com
However, the big problem which remains for the Spanish giant is the Captain of the team, who has made his desires public of leaving the club over the summer. Lionel Messi has also dominated the election agenda at Barcelona ever since.
The 33 year old Argentine superstar, Lionel Messi, has voiced criticisms of Barcelona and the then-president Josep Bartomeu this week to La Sexta, and Agusti Benedito admits that he is not happy by what Messi had to say.
Benedito explained, “In the summer he made some huge declarations where he said clearly that he wanted to go and asked the president to let him go and now we need him to change his mind”.
Also Read: AC Milan Get Themselves Into History Books As They Equal FC Barcelona’s 72 Year Old Goal Record
The 56 year old FC Barcelona’s Presidential candidate added, “ That interview was a unique opportunity to say that he was excited to continue and we didn’t hear that. I wasn’t able to hear a hopeful message and I’m worried, frankly.
“Unlike what he told you in Goal, this time he didn’t say he wanted to go but neither did he say that he wanted to stay.”
Talking to Gaol.com, Benedito added “What us Cules are worried about is if he will stay on next season, that has nothing to do with what happens further down the road.
“We are hanging on his decision and after the interview I am still unsure whether he is interested in staying at the club because he didn’t say so.
“We have the best player in the world, who in August said he wanted to leave after 20 years at the club and who still hasn’t said if he wants to stay.
“My concern is that the most likely scenario sees him leaving us in the summer. Who wouldn’t be worried about losing the best player ever?
“Everything has its beginning and end but it would be a shame for Messi’s time at Barca to be cut short. Bartomeu, the man responsible for having lied to him, was the worst president in club history.”
