Before he was elevated into his position as president of FC Barcelona, Josep Maria Bartomeu was regarded – by those who were aware of his existence at all – as a rather dour, uncharismatic personality.
Over the course of the last few days, however, Bartomeu has done his very best to shatter that notion with a series of provocative public outbursts.
In less than a week, Bartomeu has: suggested Madrid (both the city’s media and its most famous football club) were responsible for instigating the fuss over Neymar’s contract; claimed he would welcome back ostracized club legend Johan Cruyff; hinted Pep Guardiola could return to the Nou Camp once he leaves Bayern Munich, and stated Lionel Messi will be given a new contract to make him the highest-paid player in the world.
Starting with the last – and least controversial – of those points, news of Messi’s impending contract renewal is hardly a shock, even though it’s less than a year since he signed his last deal.
Barca’s success over the last few years – both on the pitch and as a global marketing machine – has been largely built around the incomparable talents of their Argentine genius.
Messi is regularly showered with praise by the club’s hierarchy, who adopt a default mode of “Messi is the best in the world and deserves a new contract” whenever his name is uttered.
Perhaps most significant, however, is the fact Cristiano Ronaldo signed a new contract with Madrid in September. Quite simply, it’s now Messi’s turn to get one over his rival by agreeing new terms.
Bartomeu’s attack on Madrid is far from surprising, either. Anyone seeking to gain approval from the majority of Barca fans, especially in these delicate political days when the campaign for Catalan independence from Spain is continually growing in momentum, can easily score some points by aiming a furious whine in the direction of the capital city.
Whether or not the complaint is warranted does not even have a shred of relevance: Real Madrid-bashing (and, similarly, Barcelona-bashing in Madrid) is a much-practised ritual in Spain and is becoming the country’s new favourite irrational sport following the gradual decline of bullfighting.
The media demands it, fans lap it up, and officials from both sides are always happy to contribute.
However, Bartomeu’s apparent willingness to call a truce with the formidable figures of Cruyff and Guardiola is interesting, marking him out as far more than just a Rosell clone – which is, almost certainly, his main intention.
As former greats both on the pitch and in the dugout, Cruyff and Guardiola are among the most important figures in the long and glorious history of FC Barcelona.
But in recent years they had both endured messy fallings-out with Rosell, who infuriated Cruyff in a wrangle over funding for his charitable foundation, while Guardiola was incensed when he believed Rosell used Tito Vilanova’s cancer treatment as a weapon against him.
Rosell’s habit of carelessly making enemies eventually cost him his presidency; Bartomeu, it appears, has sensibly decided to be a lot more cautious.
