Rafael Yuste i Abel (Barcelona, 1962), Barça member number 6,858, is one of the people closest to president elect Joan Laporta. They have known each other since they were children, and Yuste has served as his first vice-president and head of the FC Barcelona sporting area for the last five years.

Since February 9, he has been club’s interim president and will continue to serve the role until July 1, when Laporta will officially take office. Yuste is also a discreet, humble and affable man. A passionate yet level-headed culer who says that at Barça he is surrounded by good people. Probably because he is one himself...

First of all, congratulations on the titles won so far by the men’s and women’s football teams, as well as the handball side.
Thank you very much. We are proud to have brought joy back to Barça fans, just as we promised when we arrived at the club.

To what extent does today’s Barça resemble the one you and Joan Laporta imagined five years ago?
We were not aware of the state in which we would find the club. We had to be extremely rigorous in bringing it back to life. The situation was very difficult. There was no ongoing project. Barça was dead. Through common sense, hard work and commitment, and thanks also to the excellent work of the executives, that very difficult moment has given way to a present full of joy. Today Barça also has a project for the future.

And yes, it resembles quite closely what we envisaged in 2021. Like any major project, things have to be built step by step. But the strategic plan we proposed back then is being carried out to the letter. We are very confident that we are heading in the right direction.

During this spell as president, have you felt greater responsibility or more pressure?
More than pressure, sometimes you simply feel lonelier. I have to thank my fellow board members for their support. But it is as though there is an enormous gravitational pull coming from the Barça members. You feel them saying: “President, do the job properly so that we win titles and build the stadium we want.” All of that does bring extra pressure, yes.

If you had to choose one key decision during the 2021–2026 period, what would it be?
The most difficult (and at the same time the wisest) thing we have done has been striking the balance between the sporting and financial areas. When we arrived, the sporting side was completely out of control, with player costs totally excessive. Putting everything back in order and reducing the wage bill has been extremely difficult.

I want to thank everyone who made it possible, especially our sporting director, Deco, who has played a hugely important role. This season we invested €30 million to build a champion Barça side. They finished 14 points clear of second place, while other clubs have invested hundreds and hundreds of millions. That has been possible thanks to the determination of President Laporta and the board, and also thanks to La Masia, which is the heart of our institution.

Has Barça recovered its institutional standing in Europe and worldwide?
When we arrived, Barça’s international standing had been badly damaged. Relations with the Spanish federation and LaLiga have now been restored. We have also been working for some time with UEFA and FIFA so that Barça has the influence that the best club in the world should have. With humility and hard work, we must make our voices heard so that our rights are respected.

How optimistic does the future make you feel, particularly with the new Spotify Camp Nou operating at full capacity?
My grandparents told me how they left Les Corts because Kubala had made that stadium too small. Then came Johan Cruyff and other great players, and now we are fulfilling the dream of a new Spotify Camp Nou. What the new stadium will bring forms part of our strategic plan.

To begin with, once completed, there will be 105,000 people supporting the team and helping us win more titles. It will also once again generate revenue and boost the club’s economy. I would like to thank the members for the patience they have shown, and continue to show. They are all aware of the scale of the project. They know this is a hugely important development for our future.

To what extent, in today’s context, do you still believe in Barça’s ownership model, with the members at its core?
That is another of the reasons why we stood in the elections. As long as we are in charge, the club will belong to its members. That said, it must be governed with great seriousness and with a plan that guarantees its viability.

In a role with such enormous responsibility, is the hardest part balancing the immediate need to compete with building a long-term project?
Yes, that is especially difficult. When you are winning, everything flows naturally and things are much easier. When things go badly, you have to keep a cool head because you can make mistakes. Great care is needed. And once again I must mention Deco and the executives in the financial area, who are doing an outstanding job in providing stability. As long as we are here, we will not take any decision that puts Barça at risk.

How would you like your role during this period in the club’s history to be remembered?
I would like to be remembered as a humble and selfless person who gave everything for the club, both heart and soul.

READ THE FULL INTERVIEW IN BARÇA MAGAZINE

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