Former Barcelona player Guillermo Amor has defended the club’s La Masia academy, saying it does great work and helps youngsters.
The 47-year-old played for Barca between 1988 and 1998 and, after retiring, served a four-year spell with the club when Joan Laporta was named President in 2003, being responsible for the youth categories.
However, he left after the board of directors decided not to renew his contract but returned in July 2010 as technical director of training, before being appointed technical director of Adelaide United last summer.
Speaking to the ‘Al Primer Toque’ radio show, he spoke of his role with the Catalans in the wake of the transfer ban imposed on the club by FIFA.
“I feel bad so much damage has been done to Barca, a club that does everything to ensure young players don’t lack anything,” insisted Amor.
“The saddest thing is that nobody knows who made the complaint and it doesn’t seem fair. All the dedication towards these kids for so many years, worrying over their families…
“But at Barca it will continue as it has done. The mission has always been to find talent around the world and bring them to La Masia. Nobody has ever put a gun to anyone’s head.
“Usually they are families who want to come, some even offer to do so. It’s not fair there are players who have spent years in Catalonia and now have to return to the country they came from.
“Many clubs have acted, and are acting, in the same way. But it’s Barca that has paid the price. If someone accuses you of something you like to know who it is because maybe you have a problem.”
Amor says he fails to see a solution to the matter and regrets not having done more at the time.
“The only way to solve it is to get on a plane the very next day and speak to [FIFA President] Sepp Blatter and ask him what happened, ask for forgiveness, return the players to their homes, fix it and find a way for them to play again,” he argued.
