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Sandro Rosell highlighted the importance of club members in the day-to-day running of the club and how he intends to achieve the main challenges of the new board's strategic plan by 2013 when addressing the general assembly on Saturday.
The FC Barcelona president spoke to delegates for the first time since he took over at camp Nou and outline his vision for the coming years and the role that he believes that everyone connected to the club will play. Rosell was keen to state that the starting point he has found is not good and neither is the economic situation in the short term.
Strategic plan
Focussing on the strategic plan laid out by his board of directors, Rosell explained that it would be "based around growth" and that would be achieve during the first phase of his plan for 2013. On the economic state of the club he assured that the turnover would be able to rise to €500 million with some positive exploitation "of around 10 per cent" with nearly €50 million in profit per season. That would then allow the level of bank debt to be reduced to "sustainable amounts". International role
To reach an income of €500 million Rosell highlighted the internationalisation of the club and detailed a plan that will support with capitalisation of key sports and the emotional value of the Barça brand. Also, the business will look for new way to exploit and improve contracts with sponsors.
On the sporting front the president looked ahead to 2013 and stated that he wants the new Masía at the Ciutat Esportiva to be "consolidated" and work like a model that would work across the club. The aim is to reach "sporting excellence" together with the hard work of all along with "a programme of internationalisation, both formative and professional".
Member participation
Socially, again looking ahead to 2013, Rosell wanted to "implement an host of initiatives and resources that will allow the level of member participation and the relationship with the club to grow". For that he believes that the implementation of the Espai Barça and in the approval of more technological resources would help. First acts
Apart from the challenges of the future, Rosell also summarised some of his first acts at the helm as the club centred on austerity and transparency of management. He insisted on being sensitive to things that affect members and the change of orientation of the club Fundació while wanting to remain centred on the area of Catalunya. He also detailed the patrimonial turnaround happening at the club, looking at stopping the reclassification of the Miniestadi, as well as clarifying that the economic situation will oblige the club to extend the time limit of the Espai Barça project. Rosell also insisted on spending on other sports and has set aside a budget of €49 million.
The players were able to enjoy the sporty, dynamic new Audi A1 in an event held this lunchtime at the Castellolí circuit, when they picked up the keys to their new cars. The players also received a sporting drivers course where they were able to experience the manoeuvrability and ease of use of the new Audis, as well as the elegance of the new Audi A7 Sportback. 
Club President Sandro Rosell, the Director of Audi Espanya, Manuel Caballero, Audi AG Marketing Director Lothar Korn and Volkswagen-Audi Espanya President Ludger Fretzen were amongst other club and Audi representatives at the event and Sr Caballero explained that for his company: “it is a pleasure to have players from the most successful club in recent years as ambassadors for our cars”.
The aim is to get the fans to join the players in their dedication and the “We Give Everything” slogan, as used last season, aims to stress the implication of the team. This season, the players won’t be wearing the tattoos they did in last year’s campaign – the images this year are of the players faces and shirts full of sweat. 
Pedro, Iniesta and Messi are the first group of players to feature in the campaign. All three of them express their commitment to defending the club and ask for the same support from the fans. The following players will soon be taking over from those three, with Xavi, Puyol, Villa, Alves, Piqué and Valdés all to appear. 
The success of the campaign will be based on the players’ ability to convince the fans to fill the stadium for every game and will be shown on BarcaTV, the club website, general and sports newspapers ,TV, radio, advertising hoardings and the advertising space around the stadium.
According to the Club President: “the team and the fans deserve a 10. The fans got behind the team even more than they normally do and that really helps the team to work well. The team inspires the fans and the fans inspire the team!” 
There’s a tough November ahead of the team, with some big games, including the visit of Real Madrid, but Sr Rosell made it clear that: “Barça have this kind of pressure all year round. We have to focus on ourselves move forward, keep on winning and piling up the points”. 
The ombudsman knows he has an important job to do, which entails “responsibility for overseeing a good understanding between supporters clubs, as ensuring honest and efficient compliance with the agreements they establish with Barça. These agreements are always in coordination with the Supporters Clubs Council, the former Advisory Committee, and the parties implied”, explained Térmens. 
The Pope’s visit began with a visit to the Benedictine Abbey at Montserrat. By midday, he had arrived in the city and headed for the Sagrada Familia, where he recited the Angelus. After that, he went to the Cathedral, passing along Carrer Sardenya, Carrer Aragó, Passeig de Gràcia, Ronda de Sant Pere, Plaça Urquinaona and Via Laietana. He blessed the huge crowd that had gathered in the Cathedral Square before going to visit the Archbishop. After lunch, at about 15.30, he left for Avinguda Maria Cristina where he was greeted by a million people as he made his way into the Camp Nou for his next religious duty. 
Sadly, the weather was less welcoming, and under pouring rain, a congregation of 120,000 gathered on the recently extended Camp Nou terraces. John Paul II entered the stadium at 18.30 via the south goal, and blessed the adoring crowds. The Pope stood on a 600 m2 covered podium in the middle of the pitch. A huge 3000 m2 scarlet and yellow carpet was decorated with yellow flowers. 
To the right of the huge altar assembled in front of the grandstand was a choir of two thousand conducted by the director of the Coral Sant Jordi, Oriol Martorell and a group of priests who later gave communion. To the left, some seven hundred sick people awaited the blessing of the Holy Father, while in the Palau Blaugrana, a further 4,500 sick, disabled and elderly people followed the service from afar. Before beginning the Eucharist, the Pope said “peace be with you” in the Catalan language, which certainly impressed the congregation. The stadium fell into silence for the mass, which ended with a singing of “Virolai”. 
The Club presented the Holy Father with a package of surgical materials to be sent to the Third World. The Pope signed the club’s Book of Honour and presented a rosary to Josep Lluís Núñez. John Paul II was also presented with club membership card number 108,000. Years later, in November 2001, the update of the club register meant the Pope’s number became 103,350, which was the card he still had when he died on April 2, 2005.
Xavi Hernández is hot on the heels of Migueli’s all-time appearance record for FC Barcelona. “It is normal that someone will take the record because people are pushing all the time and it is only an anecdote to have the record number of games,” he continued. “I would be happy if Xavi took it though and I was second, that would not be bad.” 
Anna Tarrés led the national synchronised swimming team as they took their positions in the esteemed position. The swimmers, who won four silver medals at the recent European games in Budapest, organised their training sessions for the week to allow them to be able to attend. “To come to the stadium is a bit different for us because our days are constant work and something like this brings us even closer,” Tarrés said.
The win against Getafe was Guardiola’s 138th game in charge of the team over six different competitions, in which he’s recorded a 71,73% success rate, with 18,84 % of the games drawn and just 9,4% ending in defeat. 
Those wins have of course helped to win titles and Guardiola’s team have so far lifted eight, but for each of those titles, there has to be a special game we all remember. 
In the league it’s probably the 2-6 win at the Bernabeu that the team achieved on May 2nd 2009, whilst the Rome final of the Champions League, or maybe Iniesta’s heroics at Stamford Bridge in the semi finals are what most stick in the fans’ memory. Then there is the 4-1 win in the Spanish Cup Final in Valencia against Bilbao, or Pedro’s goal in the Super Cup, or the World Club Cup........ 
And if the team are on the brink of a century of wins under the boss, it must be down in a large part to the contribution of Leo Messi, who with his 100th goal under Guardiola, which he scored against Copenhagen, sealed the great combination between the two that has proved such a success story for the club.
The CIHEFE points system is based not on titles won, but rather on points taken for wins or draws in the Spanish and European competitions, not taking into account any other factor, such as winning competitions, the club budget or value of the squad. 
The first of the two games at the Nou Camp this week will be on Wednesday when Ceuta visit for the second leg of their Spanish Cup tie. Barça go into the game on the back of a two nil win in North Africa a fortnight ago. The squad will begin preparations for the Cup game on Tuesday, when Guardiola will be without seven of the players he’s decided to rest - Alves, Puyol, Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta, Villa and Messi, who will be replaced by B team players. 
Along absent from the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper were Víctor Valdés and Gerard Piqué, who worked out in the gym, meaning there were seventeen on the pitch, ten from the first team and six from Barça B. But one of these, the injured Jeffren Suárez, worked in isolation with a fitness coach. 
Only two players, Migueli (549) and Xavi (540) can claim to have done likewise. And of the 500 games played by Puyol, not only has he played 338 in La Liga, but also 102 in the Champions League, showing just what an important asset he is. He has lifted the last two Champions League trophies. 
Puyol has always been famed for his dedication and last-ditch tackles. Goalscoring is far from his most important responsibility, yet he has been on target at some key moments. He has nine goals in all, and the best remembered are the one from an overhead kick nine years ago against Tenerife, a side he has scored against twice, his header at the Bernabéu on the day of the famous 2-6 and another similar goal this year against Valencia (2-1).
Asked whether he needs to specially motivate his players for games like the one with Ceuta compared with others, Guardiola was emphatic. “They love playing and love football. These boys love playing football and as it’s what they enjoy, they’ll go out there and make an effort”. Also, with the game kicking off at 22.00, he knows there aren’t likely to be too many fans in the stadium, but he promised “a goo game for those who do come”. 
Guardiola also spoke about Nolito, one of the stars of the Barça B side who is knocking on the first team door. Some have suggested that the player might be leaving, but Guardiola has said “I’d recommend him to fight to stay here. There is always a time to leave this place but there are few places better for him right now. … he should keep playing well and fighting for a place here.” He reminded listeners that Barça is a club that likes to give its youth players a chance.
Pep Guardiola remained faithful to Bojan and the forward was delighted. “The confidence of the coach in me has been fundamental,” he added. “I always want to score because it gives me strength to keep going. One never forgets how to score though.” 
“It was great and a dream come true. It is the best thing to have happened to me at Barça. I am very pleased with the win and the goal.” 
“I am pleased with the victory. People thought it would be easy against them, but I thought we played a serious game. We went about things calmly.” 
“I have to work hard game-by-game to continue doing the best I possibly can.” 
“I was only missing a goal. We have had two great chances but I hope that I will be able to go closer and closer to the goal as time goes on.” 
It was a bittersweet evening for the Argentinian against Ceuta as he scored early on when meeting Nolito’s corner to make it 2-0 with seven minutes on the clock. That was his second goal for Barça nearly three years after his first