Exclusive: Bartomeu's three wishes for 2020

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has 18 months left on his mandate and doesn't want to waste a single day. His objective is to remain in charge until June 2021 but he's aware that results this season could change the mood among the fans. However, as of today, nothing will make him bring forward elections by a year. 

As is usual, at the beginning of January, the Barça president has given me his main wishes for the New Year. In this case, for 2020. He has one sporting wish, one social and a third which we could say is political-social. 

1     THE SPORTING WISH 

The first wish, obviously, is the same as almost all fans. Bartomeu wants: "That all professional teams win their respective European competitions." In other words, they all win their respective Champions Leagues. It would be historic. The president has worked hard to achieve it and all the teams are well placed. As Bartomeu pointed out at the Christmas dinner. "Last year we also had a chance and we ended up with nothing." There is no other club that can aspire to such a challenge. If they can achieve it, fantastic, but it's well known that many would accept the men's football first team winning the Champions League...  

2   THE SOCIAL WISH 

The president's second wish, he told me, is more of an obsession than a desire. A challenge almost as necessary as winning trophies. Barcelona need a new stadium to generate new income and be able to compete with the clubs that benefit from the help of petrodollars or external wealth. For that reason, Bartomeu's second wish is: "To lay the first stone of the remodeling of Camp Nou and of the new Palau." 

In theory, laying the first stone is not a complicated task. The difficult thing is having the money to be able to complete the Espai Barça project. It's true there's been a notable delay but the club remain optimistic that they can finance the masterpiece. We will see. 

3   AND THE MOST POLITICAL 

I have already written that I agree with this 100 percent. It's another thing, though, when it's said by the president of Barcelona at a time of such political tension in Spain. 

"Social and political harmony which leads to dialogue and allows Catalonia to continue growing." Concise, clear and to the point, that was Bartomeu's third wish for 2020.