BarcelonaJordi Salsas is one of the most legendary members of the Penya Blaugrana Meritxell. Every time a Barça section plays a match at the Palau Blaugrana, this fan goes there with his inseparable notebook where he points out from the stands all the actions that take place during the game. “Since 2001 we have been reporting on basketball, handball and roller hockey matches on our website. I need to jot down the information because I have no photographic memory. I save and archive all notebooks. I’ve written over 2,000 chronicles of all colors, but now it’s time to enjoy. I keep the information in more than 10 notebooks. It’s been more than two decades, “he told ARA.
The commitment of the Peña Meritxell was born on April 25, 1997 in Rome. Barça’s umpteenth defeat in the European Cup pushed eight fans to launch a project to support Barça basketball. Among the eight fans had been in all the European finals of a Catalan team that took a long time to break the misfortune. “It simply came to our notice then. Because of the pandemic we have obvious problems getting it filled, but we try to get by with a lot of work. Last season was very sad and we could only go to three basketball games because of the restrictions. We hope that the situation will be kept under control “, says Salsas.
The fan is very satisfied with the trajectory of Saras Jasikevicius’ Barça, a team that has eaten away at the eternal rival. “Given the situation of the team, which has had many injuries, it is doing very well. We have a one-year background in the Saras project and this is noticeable. The improvisation of other years is over and now things are going well. The first game was relatively straightforward. The second one got a little complicated, but the team showed what kind of paste these players are made of. The same thing happened in the final against Madrid. Last year he was about to reach the Euroleague and this year he can achieve important goals “, he assures.
The Lithuanian coach of Barça admitted that he did not remember a tournament with so many Catalan fans. “The atmosphere in Granada reminded me a lot of Bilbao in 2010. The sensations are very good and people sign up. The most difficult thing is to follow the team when the trajectory is not so positive “, says Salsas. The representative of the Penya Meritxell is asking for more facilities for fans who travel to the Copa del Rey. “Logistics is very important and you have to be well organized. Matches end late and you don’t have much time to go to dinner. Public transportation was a bit stingy. I think the organizers should pay more attention to it. If you want people to go there, you have to have an infrastructure ready. Sometimes they forget about it, ”he says.
The final against Madrid, in which Barça regained a 16-point disadvantage, was epic. “It simply came to our notice then. The last Copa del Rey we won with Pesic as coach also had an epic comeback. I think we were losing by 16 points. At the beginning of this season the opposite happened to us and we suffered a comeback against the Super Cup final against Madrid “, he remembers.
“We are nostalgic”
The communication between the players and the fans is excellent. “We have always had a good relationship with the players. What happens is that now maybe it’s a little more obvious. We have no objection to any of the four teams playing at the Palau. We always greet the fans and thank you for encouraging them. They are elite players, but the relationship they have with us is very good “, he assures.
Barça hope to have the new Palau Blaugrana finished in 2026. Salsas is happy, but he can’t help but get nostalgic. “We understand the current situation and that the club must grow by generating new sources of resources. The advantage of this project over the vacuum jump a few years ago is that the new Palau Blaugrana will be built at home, next to the Camp Nou, which is Catalan territory. Going to Montjuïc was a drama, both to go and to return. The only thing is that we are nostalgic and it makes us a little tired to leave the Palace. The titles of the sections came with their construction. There are days when I get up romantic and I would like to stay at the Palau, but I already understand that it can’t be “, he admits.
