In a festive atmosphere at the Municipal Stadium in Corró d’Avall, more than a thousand people enjoyed the 2-1 victory of CF Les Franqueses against the FC Barcelona Players Association. The event also served as a tribute to Sergi Barjuan.
This Sunday, the Municipal Football Stadium in Corró d’Avall hosted a true celebration of sports and football with the commemorative match of Les Franqueses, European Sports Town 2024. The festive event brought together more than a thousand people and featured the presence of the Secretary General for Sports and Physical Activity of the Catalan Government, Abel García Marín, the Mayor of Les Franqueses del Vallès, Juan Antonio Corchado Ponce, the Sports Councilor, Carlos Munzón Cruz, and the ACES Europe delegate in Catalonia, Joan Anton Camuñas.
It was the authorities who kicked off the celebration by presenting gifts just before the referee’s whistle. With both teams on the field, commemorative gifts of the event were given to CF Les Franqueses, the FC Barcelona Players Association, and Sergi Barjuan, one of the driving forces behind this initiative alongside the Town Hall and the Municipal Sports Board. Representatives from the FC Barcelona Players Association, led by their president Juan Manuel Asensi and sports vice president Rafael Zubiria, also offered gifts to both the Town Hall and the local club. The initial ceremony concluded with team photos and a family picture with all participants.
Once the game began, the youth and physical superiority of CF Les Franqueses seemed to initially dominate a squad from the FC Barcelona Players Association that featured names like Eusebio Sacristán, Jesús Mariano Angoy, Gerard López, Santi Ezquerro, Jofre, and Sergi Barjuan, among many other notable figures from Barça’s recent history, including local player Albert Puigdollers. The team was coached by Jordi Gonzalvo and Albert “Chapi” Ferrer. Although CF Les Franqueses took a 2-0 lead in the second half, the Barça legends demonstrated their quality and immense talent on the local pitch. The clash of styles provided an entertaining spectacle that kept the audience glued to the action, as noted by Joan Anton Camuñas, the ACES Europe delegate in Catalonia, at the end of the match: “Here I’ve truly seen what Les Franqueses del Vallès is all about. Different age groups, loving the town and sports. It’s been fantastic to see this generation of players and how the crowd completely enjoyed and followed the match. I think this is what defines ACES Europe. When we award a town, this is precisely what we’re rewarding. The participation, the spirit, the sporting identity that this town has, from its authorities to the families, organizations, clubs, everyone.”
This sentiment was clearly shown when the Barça team substituted Sergi Barjuan. Known as “the boy from Les Franqueses” during his time as a Barça player, Barjuan received an ovation from the crowd in recognition of his career and roots in the municipality. Barjuan couldn’t have been happier at the end of the game: “It’s been a celebration. I think the game or the result was the least important thing. The most important was that no player from either team got injured. I believe people were happy to see a different kind of match, and I was fortunate to be part of organizing it. I’m very happy and proud, due to my roots here in Les Franqueses, to have contributed to giving Les Franqueses recognition as European Sports Town 2024.”
This happiness was also shared by the Sports Councilor, Carlos Munzón Cruz, who recalled that this was a key event in the 2024 celebrations in Les Franqueses del Vallès. “We’re very, very happy. This is one of the main events of European Sports Town 2024, and the stadium was full, and people enjoyed it. The kids had a great time and got to see a good football match. Moreover, Sergi Barjuan received his well-deserved tribute, which makes us all very happy.” The Secretary General for Sports and Physical Activity of the Catalan Government, Abel García Marín, also celebrated the success of the day: “From the Catalan Government, what we want is not only to support the sports of our country but also to be alongside the municipalities, which are the backbone of all sports activities, together with the federations and clubs. That’s why we had to be here today alongside a Town Hall that is doing things right.”
Before the referee’s final whistle, the FC Barcelona Players Association had one last gift for the fans in Les Franqueses del Vallès, as Jofre scored a penalty in the closing stages of the match, bringing the final score to 2-1 to conclude the festivities.
