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New York Times
12-03-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Barcelona: United in grief – but determined to pay fitting tribute to one of their own
It took Raphinha 11 minutes to score the first goal of the night against Benfica — and just a few seconds to find a moment to point with his fingers to the Barcelona sky. There was one individual above him who deserved that. Barcelona outclassed Benfica with a 3-1 win, 4-1 on aggregate, to progress to the Champions League quarter-finals for the second consecutive season, an achievement fully dedicated to the figure of Carles Minarro — the first-team doctor who passed away aged 53 at the weekend. Advertisement Minarro's death defined the build-up towards the second leg of this Champions League tie for Hansi Flick's side. On Monday evening, the entire first-team squad and backroom staff attended Minarro's wake in the Catalan capital. The funeral took place in Barcelona on the day of the game, with the club's executive board and first-team captain Marc Andre ter Stegen in attendance. It was a far from optimal build-up to a Champions League match, but Barcelona responded with a compelling performance. The first 45 minutes were a reminder of what the Catalans have been throughout this campaign — a statement to any side that intends to win the competition. Raphinha scored either side of Lamine Yamal's goal and with a three-goal cushion, Barca could afford to conserve their energy in the second half. 'After what happened this week for us, this is how he wanted to respond,' said Flick during his press conference after the game. 'This is a win for us, but also for Carles (Minarro). He will be with us this season and forever. That's how it is.' 'We wanted to dedicate this win to Dr. Minarro because that's the least he deserves,' said Gavi. 'From now on, anything we do and achieve is going to be for him. He was a fantastic person, we'll miss him a lot.' Barca players were as good as they have been this season — which tells quite the story. Raphinha's double took him to 11 goals in the Champions League, the most by a Brazilian in a season in the competition. Yamal, 17, produced his best Champions League performance. He assisted the opener before his stunning curler to the far post, after cutting inside from the right hand-side, made every Barca fan remember you-know-who. 'The prince is not far off becoming the king round this place' 👑 Lamine Yamal's produces a wonderful curler to make it 3-1 on aggregate to Barcelona 🤩 📺 Watch the Champions League LIVE on @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 11, 2025 And for readers in the U.S. LAMINE YAMAL STUNS BENFICA…AGAIN 🤩🔥 — CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) March 11, 2025 'I would say this is the best goal I have scored with Barcelona so far, yes,' a smiling Yamal said to Spanish TV station Movistar. 'It's at a similar level to the one I scored with Spain against France at the Euro.' Beyond them there was Pedri, man of the match in both legs against Benfica, or Frenkie de Jong who seems to have been reborn. Alejandro Balde is in the form of his life and delivered the assist for the third goal, and is Inigo Martinez the best left-footed centre-back of the season in the big European leagues? Advertisement But this was an evening to highlight Barcelona's collective mindset and a sense of unity. Last Friday, Flick was asked about what made his Barca team different from other teams he had managed. 'There is an outstanding atmosphere in this dressing room, you can feel there is something special,' he said. 'The dressing room is unbelievable, everyone takes care of each other. I love to see that. We created a very solid bond not just between the players and between them and all the backroom staff around. Everyone feels that they are important in this project. It's also fair to say it is easier to handle when you win rather than when you lose, but I focus on what I have on my hands to do'. Words from the manager that help understanding the role and impact the news of Minarro's passing a day later had within the first-team unit. All flags at the Montjuic stadium in Barcelona were flown at half mast in memory of the doctor. Before kick-off, there was a minute's silence while Minarro's face was on the stadium's electronic screens. All Barca backroom staff members, even those who do not sit on the bench during the game, assembled on the sidelines to link arms together and pay their respects. This is a squad that has been able to put their egos to the side to benefit the dressing room atmosphere. Gavi is a perfect example of the togetherness. He a world-class midfielder who is struggling to find his place in the starting line-up due to the form his team-mates are in. 'People outside talk a lot, but I am not going to complain for not being a starter', the 20-year-old said after the match. 'I signed a new five-year contract and I'm going to stay here because this is the club of my life. We are a team that rotates a lot, I missed some chances in recent weeks because I was sick, I know the manager trusts me and I'm calm because I want the best for the team'. Advertisement Pedri had a similar view when speaking to the media afterwards. 'My dad always tells me that even if I have an average game, the least I must do is run my socks off for the rest of the team,' he said when asked about his ball recoveries and off-the-ball effort. Finally, Yamal praised his attacking partner Raphinha. 'I had to thank him because in the first goal I tried to shoot, but it went so wide he turned it into an assist and scored,' he joked to Movistar. 'I am so happy with every goal he scores, and about the season he is having, I'm so proud of playing in the same team as him'. Flick has been able to build a family around his squad, and that has been a big factor for the team to navigate through a tragic week. Now there is no fear to take on what is next. 'I believe Barca are contenders to win every competition we are in,' said Raphinha. They certainly are in the Champions League and have a chance to prove it again in La Liga on Sunday — when they travel to Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid in a title-defining clash.
New York Times
09-03-2025
- Health
- New York Times
Carles Minarro Garcia: ‘We all loved him' – tributes paid as Barcelona club doctor dies at 53
When Barcelona players stepped into their temporary home at the Montjuic stadium on Saturday evening for their game against Osasuna, they were not fully aware of what had happened hours earlier. As soon as the whole squad had arrived at the dressing room, they were told the club's first-team doctor, Carles Minarro Garcia, had passed away at the age of 53 that afternoon in the city's Gran Melia Torre Melina hotel, where Hansi Flick's side had congregated, as they do before every home game. Advertisement It was then, after the news was broken to them, that the whole squad, led by their captains, decided they did not want to play last night's La Liga match. Club executives then put in motion all the procedures with La Liga, the Spanish FA and Osasuna to postpone the game — a choice every party involved respected and supported. The Barcelona players left the stadium soon after, visibly shocked by the news. Minarro had not worked with them for very long but had become a very respected figure within the group after a season in which many Barca players experienced injury problems. Always in our memory, Carles — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 9, 2025 This was Minarro's first year with Barcelona's first-team squad. He had been working at the club for over seven seasons, spending the majority of them leading the medical department of their futsal team. Last summer, the club conducted a big revamp in their physical preparation, physiotherapy and medical departments. As reported by The Athletic, sporting director Deco led the assembly of a whole new team to take care of their first-team footballers. He appointed former Chelsea backroom staff member Julio Tous to lead the physical department. Former Spain national team physiotherapist Raul Martinez would also join the club and take an important role in that process. In the medical area, department chief and long-serving doctor Ricard Pruna chose Minarro to become his most trusted lieutenant. Pruna and Minarro would alternate travelling with the team to away games, but at least one of them had to be there to tend to Flick's squad at every match. Minarro was regarded by those in the dressing room as a very reliable and respected professional. He kept a low profile but was not afraid to make bold decisions when he needed to. Advertisement A clear example of this took place last month, when Alaves visited in La Liga. The Catalans' midfielder Gavi collided with opponent Tomas Conechny in an aerial battle, ending up with both players lying on the pitch potentially concussed. Minarro stepped out to assist Gavi, who was able to return to his feet after initial treatment. As part of the protocol the club have in those situations, Minarro asked Gavi what day of the week it was — a simple question to test his awareness. 'I don't have a damn clue,' Gavi replied. At that moment, Minarro ordered Flick to take him off. Gavi was claiming he was fit to continue, and requested his manager to let him stay on. Flick went to Minarro, asked about the situation, and the doctor insisted he had to be substituted. 'You decide, you decide,' Flick told Minarro, as footage from Spanish TV station Movistar shows. Fermin Lopez then came on to replace Gavi. Minarro was also on the pitch to assist both Marc Bernal and Marc-Andre ter Stegen when they suffered season-ending knee injuries earlier in the season. On Saturday, Minarro had eaten lunch with multiple first-team players at the Torre Melina, as he did before every home game. Before that, he had assessed Robert Lewandowski, deciding he was not in an optimal physical condition and advising Flick to leave the 36-year-old striker out of his matchday squad. All Barcelona players publicly expressed their condolences, but one of their messages was especially heartfelt. 'Carles, thank you very much for everything you have done for me not just this year, but throughout my career,' forward Dani Olmo posted on social media. Olmo had a special bond with Minarro. Before joining Barcelona, the doctor spent eight years working at the High Performance Centre of Sant Cugat, where a lot of Olympic athletes prepare for their competitions, a job he combined with roles at lower-league Spanish football clubs. Advertisement From 2004 to 2015, he was a doctor at Sabadell, Sant Andreu and Terrassa. At two of those, Sabadell and Terrassa, Minarro was the team doctor under first-team manager Miquel Olmo, the Barca and Spain player's father. 'You will be missed, and your soul always remembered in the team's heart, but also my family's,' added Dani Olmo in his message. Mar Ballester, Minarro's wife, posted a heartfelt statement on social media, adding a picture of her with her husband and their two children. 'Full of sadness, I communicate the abrupt death of my husband, Carles Minarro, on March 8,' it said. 'Husband, dad, brother, cousin, grandson… he is a person we will always remember.' Amb molta tristesa, us comunico la sobtada mort del meu marit , Carles Miñarro el passat 8 de març. Marit, pare, germà, cosi, net, cunyat,…una gran persona que sempre recordararem. DEP — Mar Ballester (@MarBallest87254) March 9, 2025 Barcelona's club president Joan Laporta spoke to their own media channel, Barca One. 'It is a situation of enormous sadness. We all loved him,' Laporta said. 'We are in shock because it was very abrupt. We instantly reached his family and close people, to which we extended our condolences.' President @JoanLaportaFCB shares his words following the passing of FC Barcelona first-team doctor Carles Miñarro Garcia. 💙❤️ — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 9, 2025 Saturday will go down as another tragic day in Barcelona's history. In 2014, their then manager Tito Vilanova passed away after a long battle with cancer. In 1968, the club also mourned the death of their Argentinian player Julio Cesar Benitez the day Barca had to face Real Madrid in a league game. On Sunday morning, Flick's squad returned to training to prepare for Tuesday's Champions League round of 16 second leg at home against Benfica. Before the session started, the players, backroom staff and directors assembled on the pitch to honour their late doctor with a minute of silence. Before training, the team held a respectful minute of silence in memory of Dr. Carles Miñarro Garcia. — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 9, 2025 Rest in peace, Carles Minarro.
