Interview with Toni Nadal
What arguments did Victor Font use to convince you?
He explained his project, his vision of FC Barcelona and the situation. He gave me a very good feeling as a person, I thought he was serious, responsible and hard-working. Besides, let's not deceive ourselves, being part of a project in a club like Bar?a excites everyone.
Even so, in the case that 'Yes to the future' wins the elections, are you clear about where you are going?
Obviously I know where I get. For someone who is dedicated to sport, being connected with FC Barcelona is an illusion. I am a member of Bar?a, I have always liked football, I have had a brother who has played there... so obviously I am excited. I never expected an easy life with my nephew. I don't expect things to be easy at Bar?a either. V?ctor Font knows that he can get into a complicated place but the illusion and the desire help to overcome the difficulties.
What role do you imagine yourself playing within the club?
I don't know, it depends. First we are going to wait for Victor to win. He explained to me above what he expected from me so we will have to talk about it and see the possibilities.
It says in the 'Yes to the future' programme that you are an expert in managing adversity, values and overcoming.
(Smiles and cuts me off) No, no, no.... I like to work on some principles that I consider basic in sport. Implanted do not assure you neither titles nor great successes, but they give you a greater possibility of obtaining them.
Any player has an 'A' level and an 'A+' level. If he is committed, eager and does things well he can achieve this 'A+'.
What are they?
Any player has an 'A' level and an 'A+' level. If you are committed, eager and do your best you can achieve this 'A+'. I have been told that the world of football is complicated and difficult, but for me it is all about sports. We must try to make a winning club but knowing that it is not easy. But if we create the conditions so that everybody feels comfortable and that they are aware that they represent one of the best clubs in the world, we will be closer.
Attitude?
What bothers us is to put our passion into someone who then does not try until the end. This is something we have to achieve from the lower to the higher categories. Everyone within FC Barcelona must know the entity they represent and have a total commitment to the club, from the president to any employee.
For us it is very bad news that the best player in history does not want to be with us. We are going to try to make this happen
In the event of assuming the presidency, the department of Behaviour and Institutional Relations will be created. If it already existed, would Leo Messi's bureaucracy not have arrived?
What I am clear about is that for us it is very bad news that the best player in history does not want to be with us. Particularly it knows me very bad that in a given moment it considers to leave the club. We are going to try that this is redirected. If Victor wins we will try to do things as well as possible.
Do you see yourself capable of conquering Messi to stay?
I do not know if I see myself capable, but that I would try for sure. I wish they would give me the opportunity to try. I would like to see him win another Champions with us. Winning the golden ball and I would like him to help us make an exciting project.
I always trust the best and Messi has been the best in the world for many years
Do you see him as unmotivated?
No. In the games I have seen, I see him motivated and at a good level. I always trust the best and Messi has been the best in the world for many years, he still is and I am convinced that he has yet to give us much satisfaction at the club.
Victor Font believes that we must work for the post-Messi era
For the moment we have to try to get Messi in. This is the condition sine qua non, but unfortunately Messi will not be eternal and will leave a great void to all of us who have enjoyed him for so many years.
But the club will continue
There is no other choice, the club is more than 100 years old, it has been without Messi and at some point unfortunately we will have to be without him again, so we have to prepare ourselves well.
A club like Barcelona moves between 800 and 1,000 million euros and has to be managed very well
How?
A club like Barcelona moves between 800 and 1,000 million euros and has to be managed very well. To be able to continue to maintain a highly competitive level, a level where you can face up to Bayern, Chelsea, Madrid... all those big clubs, you have no choice but to create a very professional infrastructure and management model with people who are very well prepared. Above all, we are going to ensure that the club maintains its ownership, that it belongs to all the members. We need a very good economic management thinking about Messi and the post-Messi.
With the money in the field?
Yes, we have to achieve the maximum commitment from everyone, from the lower categories to the first team. I am sure that with that the performance will be very good. But obviously we have to have the possibility of signing the best players in the world. Barcelona always has to have the capacity to go out to the market to sign the best ones and that these want to come.
There is not more remedy than to arrive at an agreement for the reduction of the salary
Is it necessary to reach an agreement for the salary reduction?
There is no alternative. In the current situation we have to look after the interests of the club, see what is economically feasible. If you ask Victor Font he will surely answer you better.
Any sportsman what he has to try is to arrive at his maximum level, but almost never it will be the one of Messi although I believe that Ansu Fati is a great player
Could the young people who are emerging as Ansu Fati, Pedri, Tricao... become the new Messis?
Being a Messi I see as very difficult for anyone. It is almost impossible. To be the best in history is very difficult. Any sportsman what he has to try is to arrive at his maximum level, but almost never it will be the one of Messi although I believe that Ansu Fati is a great player and by age and conditions he is one of the possible great cracks of the era post-Messi, Pedri also seems to me very good and Trincao also.
Do you like Koeman?
Koeman is doing well. After how we finished last year with the 8-2 of Bayern and without having obtained titles, it was bad sensation, but I believe that the equipment is responding well, we have recovered the order and I believe that the level now is very good, if it is going to be enough to us to gain the Champions I do not know it but it seems that we are not going to be very far from it.a to armor our project.
https://www.sport.es/es/noticias/barca/toni-nadal-intentaria-convencer-leo-messi-8203341