As is customary at the start of each new season, the Penyes Council of Confederació Mundial de Penyes held a new Plenary session, specifically on Saturday, July 19. The meeting was attended by a large majority of representatives from the 30 territorial Penyes Federations and followed in a hybrid format, with 15 attendees present at the Confederation headquarters and another 20 connected online. Antoni Guil, president of the Confederació Mundial de Penyes, led the meeting.
The Plenary was divided into two parts. The first focused on the upcoming elections for the territorial Federations, scheduled for this autumn, while the second featured Xavier Vilajoana, former FC Barcelona board member and 2021 election pre-candidate. Once again, the Confederació reaffirmed its commitment to being an open space for all voices within the Barça community who wish to contribute their vision to building a better Club.
Elections for the Territorial Federations
The Plenary began with a welcome from Antoni Guil to the members of the Penyes Council and the Advisory Council. Among other topics, Guil highlighted the role of the Confederation and all the Federations in serving penyes and their members, as well as promoting unity among Barça supporters. He also emphasized the Confederació willingness to join forces with any actor in the Barça universe (pre-candidates, member or opinion groups, or even the Club itself) to build a socially meaningful project for members and supporters.
Next, Joan Giménez, secretary of the Confederació Mundial de Penyes, reviewed the electoral calendar for the territorial Penyes Federations. The Confederació assured the Federations that it would support them throughout the process, ensuring compliance with the Federations’ Statutes and proper communication of the results to the Club.
Xavier Vilajoana Intervention
Xavier Vilajoana was the main speaker in the second part of the Penyes Council Plenary. The former FC Barcelona board member shared his perspective on the Club’s current situation and especially emphasized the crucial role of members and the penyes movement in preserving its identity. Vilajoana spoke about his family and emotional ties to the Club and highlighted his experience as a Barça football and futsal player. He also recalled his time on the board of directors, where he focused on promoting La Masia and women’s football, both of which have brought great success to the Club in recent years.
Additionally, as a prominent figure in the construction sector (he is president of Construmat and the Association of Developers and Builders of Spain and Catalonia), Xavier Vilajoana shared his views on the construction of the new Camp Nou and concerns about the return of activity. This topic sparked great interest among the penyes representatives, who also shared other concerns and proposals regarding the Club’s social operations.
