Last Saturday, the Maritime Station of the Port of Denia was the venue of the XVI Meeting of Penyes of València i la Marina Alta, which brought together more than 200 supporters representing around 30 penyes of this region. The event was organized by the Federació de Penyes de València i Marina Alta, with its president Miquel Gomis at the head, and by the Penya Barcelonista de Dénia, chaired by Antonio Toro. It was a great blaugrana celebration for all those present, but also with an important historical and emotional charge.
The meeting started with a focus on those affected by the floods that hit the Valencian lands at the end of October 2024. A minute of silence was held in memory of the victims and the support to the penyes of Massanassa and Catarroja, the most affected by the floods, was underlined. Both were present at the meeting and received a donation of 5,000 euros (in addition to the 18,000 euros raised last December) which will be donated to associations in their municipalities.
Big FC Barcelona names in the “Llegendaris” event
Next, it was time for the “Llegendaris” (“Legendary”) event, presented by Doctor Vila and Aksana Vayevoda, and led by Salva Torres, vice-president of the Confederació Mundial de Penyes. The event offered a journey through the history of FC Barcelona with the participation of important names related to each stage: Xavier Gamper, grandson of Joan Gamper, spoke about the first decades of the club; Josep Seguer, son of the former player, addressed the post-war period; Carles Reixach and Ramon Alfonseda covered the 60s and 70s; Tente Sánchez spoke about the finals of the 80s; and finally José Mari Bakero reviewed the great successes of the Dream Team.
In addition to recounting the experiences and anecdotes of each era as told by their protagonists, the event included tributes to figures such as Eulogio Martínez, “Cholo” Sotil, Neeskens, Urruti, Marcos, Maradona and Terry Venables. All the guests also joined in a great tribute to the Avi del Barça. Another name present was that of Manel Vich, former speaker of the Camp Nou, whose voice served to welcome with his classic “Bona tarda a tothom i benvinguts a l’estadi” (“Good afternoon, everyone and welcome to the stadium”). Thus, “Llegendaris” seeks to recognize the protagonists of FC Barcelona’s history and to highlight their legacy for the youngest culers. es de la història del FC Barcelona i posar en valor el seu llegat de cara als barcelonistes més joves.
Big success with an eye on the next meeting
The XVI Meeting of Penyes of València i la Marina Alta ended with a great fraternal dinner. In addition to the protagonists of the event “Llegendaris” and the organizers, the presence of Ximo Grifoll, president of the Federació de Penyes de Castelló, and Paco Baile, president of the Federació de Penyes d’Alacant, stood out. Also in attendance were several members of the board of the Federació de València i Marina Alta. After the success of the event, the eyes are already set on the 2026 Meeting, which plans to include the “Llegendaris Bàsquet” event.
