European Commissioner Mariya Gabriel meets the FC Barcelona Women's team

FC Barcelona as a mass phenomenon with a global profile arouses interest among very different social strata in contemporary society, even those involved in politics and decision-making. Mariya Gabriel, the European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth visited FC Barcelona to meet with a representation from the Club's Women's team, including the players Andrea Pereira, Cata Coll, and Jana Fernández, alongside their coach, Jonatan Giráldez.

FC Barcelona Institutional Area vice-president, ​​Elena Fort, and women's football director, Xavier Puig, welcomed the European Commission representative to the Presidente Suñol box in Camp Nou. Ms Gabriel chatted with team members and congratulated them on the team's successes so far and their growing reputation not only in Spain but across Europe. She also highlighted the importance of the players serving as an inspiration for future generations and as role models in a sport such as football, which millions of people follow in Europe. Her thoughts come at a great time for the team, having been crowned Liga champions and with the Women's Champions League final against Olympique Lyonnais Féminin on May 21 in Turin on the horizon.

The Commissioner visited as part of a trip to Barcelona for a range of events  within her scope of responsibility. These included the inauguration of the EU-Startups Summit 2022 - a meeting for entrepreneurs taking place in Barcelona -, a visit to the Barcelona Supercomputing Center, and she presented the Mies Van der Rohe architecture awards.

The European Commission, presided over by Ursula von der Leyen with headquarters in Brussels, is one of the seven institutions that make up the European Union. Its purpose involves proposing new EU laws and policies, monitoring their implementation, and defending the Union, among other aspects. Mariya Gabriel's responsibilities include ensuring investment flows for disruptive research and breakthrough innovations, promoting sport for inclusion and well-being, and strengthening international cooperation in education, research, innovation and culture.