The XXXI Meeting of Galician Barça Penyes once again proved that the blaugrana spirit is more alive than ever in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula. The event, organized by the Federación de Peñas Barcelonistas Galegas and the Peña Barcelonista do Barbanza, turned the town of Boiro (A Coruña) into a Barça hub over the past weekend, with nearly 400 participants. The Boiro City Council, the A Coruña Provincial Council, and the Confederació Mundial de Penyes collaborated in the event.
The Dream Team was strongly present
The Boiro Social Center hosted the roundtable that kicked off the XXXI Meeting of Galician Barça Penyes. Participants included former players Eusebio Sacristán and Ricardo Serna; Xoan Salgado, former delegate of La Masia teams; Salvador Cerviño, president of the Federación de Peñas Barcelonistas Galegas; Rafael Pichardo, member of the Club’s Social Commission; and Marcelino Sánchez, president of the host PB do Barbanza.
Moderated by journalist Ramón Ares and attended by nearly a hundred people, the discussion focused on Johan Cruyff and the turning point he represented in FC Barcelona’s history. As the speakers noted, from Rijkaard to Guardiola and now Hansi Flick’s team, all have embraced Cruyff’s footballing philosophy. After the roundtable, attendees headed to the Arume restaurant to enjoy a tasting of preserves and also some wines from Eusebio Sacristán’s own winery.
Barça Galicia 2025 Awards
Sunday’s events began at Boiro Town Hall with an official reception by Mayor José Ramón Romero. FC Barcelona Vice President Antonio Escudero joined the gathering there. This was followed by a parade of blaugrana banners through the streets of Boiro, featuring 17 supporters’ clubs and accompanied by a group of drummers and bagpipers, ending with the transfer of attendees to the Goiáns manor.
There, the Barça Galicia Awards were presented, now in their 10th edition. The awardees were Francisco Davila (PB Marín), Marcos Antonio Vázquez (PB O Porriño), José Carlos Barbeito (PB Aresana), and Juan Manuel Ferreiro (PB Guitiriz). There were also speeches and gift exchanges, with special guests including José Antonio Adame, president of the Federación de Andalucía, Ceuta y Melilla; Miguel Ángel Cruz, president of the Federación de Extremadura; Pablo Asensio, president of the Federación de Asturias y Cantabria; and José Méndez, president of the Federación de Peñas Celtistas.
“Embassies” conference and final celebration
Afterwards, supporters enjoyed the conference “Embassies: History of FC Barcelona Penyes,” led by Salva Torres, vice president of the Confederació Mundial de Penyes, and Xavier Gamper, grandson of the Club’s founder. Both reviewed the history of the penyes movement and its close ties to the Club’s social and sporting history, sparking great interest among attendees. Finally, the grand gala celebration, with nearly 300 attendees, brought the XXXI Meeting of Galician Barça Penyes to an end, leaving lasting memories for all the participating culers.
