Luis Enrique thought of his staff not himself at contract renewal time

There is a sense that the club has a great starting team, but few bench options. Do you share that view?

Without wanting to be too pretentious, we lived through this situation last year: we made signings that were heavily debated, there were many doubts, and we ended up winning the treble. We have absolute confidence in the team. It is said that we have no players in reserve, but look at the bench, and many are international players with their national teams. The Vermaelen case is significant: he has played two great game.

Is it necessary to sign a replacement for Pedro?

We have always done the same, from the board: listen to the technicians, who are those who know. If at some point Robert Fernandez and Albert Soler come, and we have to do something, we will.

Is the renewal of Neymar the next major operation?

It is in the pipeline. We have many players listed and Neymar is one of them. When the time comes, we will address it.

Did Manchester United try to buy him?

Officially, I did not get anything, but these things come informally: you sense it in the ambience, or what you read in the press. But it is normal that big clubs are interested in good players.

Will Barça sign players in January?

We do not take anything for granted. When winter comes, we'll talk. Technicians always come up: We will not sign nor rule out anything.

Are you worried about the situation of the youth football set-up? No players who can gel in the first team in the short term are emerging.

Yes there are emerging players: Munir, Sandro, Gumbau, Camera, etc. But we must understand that there are 25 first team players with a high level. Many players cannot climb up every year. In a sense, we are victims of our own success. Teams come from outside and sign our youth players. 

How does the club react in such cases?

We know it's bad, but to be honest, we do too with other teams. The football world is increasingly global. We also bring kids from around the world. Barca is a global club in every way, also at a sporting level: or you are like Athletic Bilbao, only with people from the region, in this case Catalonia, or you can have players from around the world.

Adama, Deulofeu, Denis Suarez are talents of the cantera that have emigrated. But they have been transferred, not loaned.

Yes, we have changed the strategy: instead of loans, transfers signed with buy-back clauses. From the other club's point of view, it is a stronger position and the player is their property. If he is loaned, he is neither theirs nor ours.

Luis Enrique renewed his deal after winning the treble. He was very demanding?

No. The last thing he wanted to talk about was himself, was more demanding for his team than himself. He is not too ambitious or pretentious with himself. He cares more about the others than himself.

Javier Bordas has just been named as the director in charge of the first team, but you are a sports vice president. How do you explain that?

The directors have our work, and we must distribute our time. Javier Bordas be the visible face of the first team, but we will do it in tandem. He will be my reach into the first team.