The ‘Moreneta’ of Camp Nou

The small chapel Camp Nou which contains the size of Virgin of Montserrat He knew everything for 66 years. From a solemn enthronement on the day of the inauguration of the new realm in 1957, by offering intimate remembrance to the idols of boat or the baptism of the eldest son of Gustavo Biosca, Cesar, as a gesture of friendship to ‘The wigs‘, until the great blessing of John Paul II in 1982 with 120,000 pilgrims in the stadium.

But the small Catholic oratory had other adventures. After being forgotten for the first few years, he received a ban from the archbishop of Barcelona so that no more weddings and baptisms take place and, in recent years, by way of obtaining income from the club’s assets, it is included in the tour circuit for tourists of Tour of Camp Nounext to the locker room, the ‘Space Messi’ or the museum.

The Montserratina chapel has a great location. It is located on one side of the changing room tunnel where the players access the pitch. Before the Virgin stops, cross themselves and wait a few seconds to pray amid frantic shouts of encouragement from their companions. This is what the architect of the time thought Francesc Mitjans along with the board of miro sans. The room barely accommodated 40 people. In 2018, its decoration was completed with three murals of pink wormwood.

he’Espai Barça‘ envisages the conservation of the chapel as a cultural and religious asset of the club that will become the new secular coliseum. at the command of Joan Roviraguardian since 1960 (later incl grouping of the Players), will regain its former location in the new and wide boulevard of the modern facility.

The statue of brunette It was commissioned by the celebration committee created for the inauguration of the Camp Nou (September 24, 1957). The cost was covered by a popular subscription of six pesetas per ticket and the work was entrusted to the Abbey of Montserrat. A few days before the grand premiere, a pilgrimage of one hundred coaches, cars and motorcycles loaded with families from Barcelona arrived at the Holy Mountain to participate in the sacred acts of dedication. La Vanguardia Chronicle speaks of a day of “religious fervor” and that the nave of the Basilica was not enough to shelter the thousands of pilgrims who followed the abbot’s pontifical mass. Aureli Maria Escarré.

At 10:30 am, the Virgin of Montserrat of FC Barcelonajob of Joseph Ricart, amid the “loud sound of bells. The image is exposed in the central corridor of the temple surrounded by the flags of the various Barcelona supporters’ clubs”. The abbot gave his blessing and the ‘Hail’ crowned the ceremony with the Choir.

Already in the inaugural acts of Camp Nouthe picture of brunette he was taken in procession to a chapel in front of the gallery, where he was installed by the archbishop. Gregorio Modrego Casausmanager’s cousin Nicolau Casaus and will be vice president of the club. journalist Juan Vinas He was in charge of narrating the endless parade of clubs, groups and supporters clubs in front of a crowd that vibrated with every announcement made by the first ‘speaker’ in the stadium. At the end of the session the Mother of God of Montserrat It was placed as a base on a stone obtained from the mountains of the members of Peña Solerathe first rock of the club.

The chapel was a place of pilgrimage in 1968 with the sudden death of Julio Cesar Benitez on 28, a day from playing a Barça-Real Madrid. An estimated 120,000 fans came to say goodbye to the Uruguayan defender at the stadium. Later, on May 4, 1972, the famous Samitier at the age of 70, leaving Barcelona fans and football fans in general very upset.

Count Benitez‘l’home llagosta’ is buried in Les Corts cemetery, a few meters from the chapel, where the remains of Ángel Mur, Alcantara, Piera, Basra, César and Kubalaidols of different generations.

The archbishop of Barcelona cut off the celebration of weddings and baptisms in 1997. They wanted it to stop after a massive petition from members and supporters. The rejection of supreme ecclesiastical authority also affected the desire to Biosca who baptized his last child, 40 years after it was first done with the blessing of Gregorio Modrego. Family football is fading.

Pope John Paul II himself arrived at the Camp Nou on November 7, 1982, a day full of visits and deluges: Montserrathe Angelus in sacred Familythe appointment to Montjuic with young people and businessmen and the Holy Mass at Camp Nou, the highest point of his Spanish tour. After the extraordinary Holy Mass, John Paul II blessed the “little Moreneta” in his chapel, located next to the changing rooms adapted as a sacristy for the use of the Pope and his entourage. There, I’m waiting for you Joseph Lluis Nunez who offered him an honorary membership card number 108,000. The priests who were with him distributed rosaries to those present. Incessant rains have overflowed rivers and cut off towns. The rain hurts.

The Cup and the ‘Hesperia Mutiny’ provide
move to the Cruyff cycle

March 30 marks the 35th anniversary of the 1987-88 Cup won by Barça against Real Sociedad with a goal from Alexanco. The Basque cause saved a difficult period marked at its end by the ‘Hesperia Mutiny’. The League did not start well. On the fifth day, Terry Venables was removed, replaced by Luis Aragonés, who was replaced for two weeks by Carles Rexach due to depression. The team, without a key signing, finished sixth in the League, 23 points behind Real Madrid, and in the UEFA Cup they were eliminated in the quarterfinals by Bayer Leverkusen. But the deepest crisis occurred on April 28 when the squad and the coach, meeting at the Hotel Hesperia, signed, with the exception of three players, a note demanding the resignation of president Josep Lluis Núñez and his board for maintaining the image contracts. . Eight days later, the signing of Johan Cruyff as coach was announced, opening a new phase