Víctor Font: "When I win the elections, the first thing I'll do is call Messi."

Last Monday, Víctor Font, 53, kicked off his election campaign with the presentation of the group 'Nosaltres', which includes Barcelona fans from across the spectrum and aims to unite all members who disagree with the club's current management model. If he wins the election, Font explained to MD that “the first thing I'll do is call Leo Messi,” leaving it up to the number 10 to decide whether he might retire wearing the Barça jersey.

Why ‘Nosaltres’?

Well, because of the desire to implement an alternative to the club's current way of doing things. We believe that Barça belongs to all of us. And that it's essential to move away from a very personalistic, very presidential style of governing the club, where disagreement isn't welcome, where no one listens, where everything is improvised, where everything is very personalistic, and we want something that is the complete opposite. The reality of Barça is very diverse. It's a complex club because it has the business side, the sporting side, and the social side. And what we did on Monday was just a starting point. When the elections are held in a few months, Barça members will be able to choose between the 'me' model or a pluralistic alternative that professionalizes the club, modernizes it, and is very inclusive.

When did the idea of changing from ‘Sí al Futur’ to ‘Nosaltres’ arise?

Since losing the elections, I've been monitoring Barça's situation and the club's needs. Hence the need to articulate a proposal that excites Barça fans, but above all, as I said, that reflects the club's reality, given its diversity, and therefore, to do something that goes against the current way of doing things. I believe it's essential.

When you talk about 'Nosaltres' (We), is it understood that there will be shared leadership?

Well, I believe that leadership today has to be shared. We have to work as a team, not in a self-centered way, because in a club like Barça you have many areas that require very different skills and knowledge. And the leader's role here, in my case, is to act as the conductor, creating the conditions so that the best in each area—in football, handball, basketball, and then in the business area, the Foundation, the social area—can be working for the club. Barça, when it belongs to everyone, is unstoppable, and if it belongs to just one person, we miss out on so much.

I also mentioned this because there have been other people who have expressed their intention to run in the elections, like Joan Camprubí or Marc Ciria, for example. I don't know if you've spoken with them yet and if you'll all be running together.

No, well, we're building this alternative, which, as I said, is for Barça fans. Everyone is welcome to this alternative because 'Nosaltres' is inclusive: Laportismo and every other 'ism' you can imagine. What we're looking for is talent, people who share our assessment of the club's situation and who want to contribute selflessly.

Given your achievement of being the second most voted candidate in the last elections, is the condition that you'll be the conductor?

No, but it's not a condition based on past votes, no. I think the evolution here has been very natural because we've set out to bring people together and convince them. We've approached renowned business leaders from Catalan civil society, organized social movements that have played a significant role in the club's social life, the supporters' clubs, and professional executives in the world of sports. What we've tried to do is share our vision and see if our leadership, in this case mine, could be a good fit to act as the conductor of the orchestra. The process has been very natural. It's not about imposing ourselves and saying, "I want to be there," no, it's about who also has the availability to do it, because to do this, we have to dedicate ourselves to it 100%. I'm fortunate that since the summer I've been dedicating myself to this 100%. You have to have experience and a track record in managing teams, an age where you still have energy and the will to push things forward, as well as financial independence because this is an altruistic national project where the leaders don't get paid, or theoretically shouldn't. So it's been a very natural process.

What do you think needs to change at Barça?

Basically, the way the club is managed. As I've said, I think the "me" model is very personalistic, very much about improvisation. The most recent relevant example has been with the stadium, which thankfully we'll forget because we're going there on Saturday. But it's a very clear example of improvisation. The fact that you end up only surrounding yourself with people you trust and not with talented people you might not know and who aren't trustworthy, that you don't listen, that you're not open to criticism, that you lack the ability to plan, that there's no relevant experience to harness the club's potential, that you break relationships and are on bad terms with club legends who are ultimately part of the badge. I mean, Barça and Barça's history are its legends. Having Messi, Xavi, Saras, Barrufet, Víctor Tomás, and so on, outside the club because they don't think like you and are at odds with the club... I think it makes no sense, does it?

I was talking about not surrounding yourself only with people you trust.But it's true that in the previous elections, he had confidence in some people, and at the last minute, they switched sides. Isn't it important to surround yourself with trustworthy people?

Without a doubt, when building teams in life for professional projects, even personal projects, trust among team members is key. But what I mean is that trust built on shared goals and a common vision is one thing, and quite another is simply seeking out lifelong friends or family members with whom you have a long-standing bond of trust, right? And that's the "me" model. It's the latter, and I believe we need to focus more on finding talent, building alliances based on a shared vision, and not rely solely on friends and family.

What did you learn from your first election?

The most important lesson is that you have to work first to win an election, not so much to govern. In 2021, the entire process leading up to the elections involved conducting a very detailed analysis of the club, developing a well-crafted plan to revitalize it, and building teams, but that alone doesn't win elections. Ultimately, elections are won by generating enthusiasm and making concrete proposals on the issues that truly influence voting intentions, right? And since all the club's governance work was already done and we've been updating it, now the focus is on winning the elections.

You've really put me on the spot with that bit about generating enthusiasm. Lewandowski's contract is expiring. If you were president, which striker would you sign as his replacement?

I think I largely agree with the majority of Barcelona fans that players like Haaland and Julián Álvarez excite everyone, don't you? But I've always explained that in these kinds of processes, it's the sporting management and the sporting structure we're building that have to work on this, and it needs to be done. It takes time, but we have to find that replacement because it's one of the pieces we're going to need. Thank God, with all the homegrown talent, plus the signing of Joan Garcia this year and a few other young signings, I think we have a team for many years to come.

You have a good relationship with City; I don't know if that makes the Haaland option more feasible.

We have to explore all avenues. Thank God I have a very good relationship with many people in the football world because I've been in this field for a few years now, and we have to use those relationships, not just my own, because again, in this collective project, we have to leverage relationships and the contributions that everyone we're bringing together can make. That's another major difference between the "I" model and the "we" model. In the individual, you depend heavily on a person, and if that person isn't there, you feel somewhat orphaned. In the collective, we can leverage the many capabilities that exist within the Barcelona fanbase, those who want change and are working to make that change possible.

From what we gather, Jaume Guardiola will be their key figure in finance.

This isn't finalized because, again, in the modern governance model we envision, we need to move away from this board model where titles are held and there's a manager, a treasurer, a head of women's football, a head of basketball... What we want here are directors who fulfill two functions: 1) To help make the major decisions and club strategies, and 2) To have institutional representation functions, but minimizing titles, positions, and specific responsibilities, then creating oversight committees for the executive team. But empowering the executive team much more, so that the executive team is responsible for the day-to-day operations. Mr. Guardiola obviously has a wealth of experience, and his contributions will certainly extend to the financial area as well, but he's also a huge football fan.

He told us they were working on finalizing the sporting director position. Can you give us any names in that regard?

We're not in the election stage yet; Monday was just the first step. Now, Barcelona fans know there will be an alternative that will contrast sharply with the current management model, and when we know when the elections will be—which I expect will be in the coming weeks or months, perhaps after the end of the year—the idea is to present our candidacy at the beginning of next year.

Mr. Laporta was asked about his actions and refused to engage, saying he wasn't campaigning yet.

I think it's obvious he's campaigning, but I believe the Barça members, who are the owners, are already aware of what's happening. I'm not aware that Barça has ever held meetings with members like the one taking place tomorrow—today—in Sant Cugat. For example, this hasn't been explained or publicized. And this is being done because we're entering pre-election territory, which is perfectly legitimate. What I don't understand is why they're trying to pretend otherwise; it's not the case. We're in an election period, just like the election date. The president says, "We'll try to hold it when it will have the least impact on the teams." If that's the argument, then we already know the elections will be in mid-June because that's when it will have the least impact on the teams. There are other legitimate objectives as well. For us, the sooner the elections are, the better. The sooner there's a change in the management model, the better, because ultimately you ensure that all the decisions made are the best decisions for the club's interests.

You already had the opportunity to debate with Laporta. Is there any way to counter his charisma?

Yes, by being honest, outlining exciting projects, explaining the truth. I believe that the passage of time and governance also have their limitations, not in the sense that when someone has spent many years explaining things that then don't come to fruition, the members, who are ultimately intelligent, then apply a discount to certain promises made. If I had won the 2021 elections and Víctor Font's term as president were analyzed now and found to be exactly the same as Laporta's, I don't think I'd be allowed to leave Granollers, which is my hometown and where I live.

And why does that happen?

Well, that's a good question. I think Barça has experienced a lot of polarization in recent years, this fratricidal war of "isms." The club fell very low under the administration and the responsibility of the "isms," let's say, alternative to Laporta's policies. And perhaps this stark contrast makes people forgive Laporta for many things they wouldn't forgive anyone else for. That could be one explanation. The other is that we also don't have a reliable gauge to know the true opinion of Barça fans. The only real gauge is public opinion polling, surveys. But conducting well-designed polls is very expensive, both in terms of money and time, and therefore, only those of us involved in this have a true view of the state of opinion among Barça fans, right? And that's why we're convinced that there's a social majority that wants Barça to be governed differently.

What are the pillars of Víctor Font's project for Barça, beyond the management model?

The fundamental pillar of what needs to be done to professionalize and modernize the club is a comprehensive statutory reform that establishes effective control mechanisms, not just for show. This way, any leader, whoever they may be from now on, will know they cannot act without transparency, that they cannot make or pay unjustified commissions to friends or acquaintances, and that they cannot make deals with opaque companies that damage the club's reputation. The model of member representation in the club must be reformed once and for all; the General Assemblies model must be overhauled from top to bottom. There needs to be a professionalization of the club, and, as I mentioned before, the roles of the board and executives must be clearly differentiated. The necessary conditions must be met, and we must put them in place so that a Barça for everyone is possible, so that Pep, Messi, and Saras can continue to thrive. Víctor Tomás, Barrufet, Reverter... they can all be available to work at the club when needed. Ultimately, the point is to avoid improvising and instead implement all the necessary mechanisms so that success doesn't depend on a stroke of luck here or there, but rather, structurally, to win the Champions League again, which we haven't won in ten years. The goal is to harness the full potential of Barça because, I repeat, if Barça truly belongs to everyone, it's unstoppable, absolutely unstoppable. No other club can even come close.

Should the members be worried that Barça is at risk of becoming a public limited sports company (SAD)?

Without a doubt, but not due to political will. I don't believe that President Laporta wants or seeks a conversion into a Public Limited Sports Company, but to guarantee the current ownership model, to ensure that the current ownership model remains, the only solution is professional management of the club, the only one. Because good intentions don't always produce results. It's not like someone who says, "No, I want to be super healthy," but then drinks, smokes, lives an unhealthy lifestyle, doesn't take care of themselves, and doesn't exercise even though they really want to be healthy. No matter how much you want to be healthy, if you don't take care of yourself, it's a bit like that.

Let's talk about specific names. Xavi was at the presentation. Will he be part of your team?

Barça is the club of his life, but he has no intention or interest in returning to work at the club. The only thing to do is, and I repeat, to create all the conditions so that all this talent from the Barça legends can be put at the service of the club when needed. There are many; I've mentioned some, but you have Iniesta, Puyol, Busquets...

And does Messi fit in as a player for 'Nosaltres' Barça?

We have to embrace Leo Messi and do everything possible so that, as soon as possible, he has the role at Barça that, as he said last week, he wants and that all Barça fans would be thrilled about. Having a statue of him doesn't even begin to cover it.

Would a 'last dance' for Messi at Barça motivate you?

Personally, as a Barça fan, it would give me goosebumps, but obviously this depends on him, and what we shouldn't do is try to use him. I think Laporta has done it, and he's done it many times, and I think he did it wrong. The most blatant example was during the elections. Another example of a broken promise, and I believe Messi shouldn't be used, but Messi needs to know that the first thing I'll do when I win the elections is pick up the phone and call him. It will be the first phone call I make.

For now, there hasn't been any contact with him or anyone in his circle.

Our obligation is to speak with everyone who can make contributions for the future, and it's important that we know their intentions. But what I'm saying is also important: we need to understand that these are club assets. And using them makes no sense. But as I said, the first call I'll make when we win the elections will be to Leo Messi.