Barcelona’s legend Lionel Messi helps Perpignan with Toulon's fixture
Fulfilling the requirements of agreement, Perpignan, the French rugby heavyweight and Barcelona, the Spanish football giants have called on Lionel Messi, the twice footballer of the year and his team to market and attract the crowd in the upcoming fixture
against Toulon in 1992 Olympic Stadium for the European Cup.
Both the teams released a video recently which featured Lionel Messi performing the Haka with his fellow Barcelona team mates. Perpignan is making clever moves to sell 55,000 tickets and including Barcelona stars was an example for it. The clash on 9th April
is expected to have one the largest crowds witnessed in rugby history.
Lionel Messi is probably not the only attraction; Jonny Wilkinson the England’s rugby legend will be playing for Toulon and is expected to take a break from international duties.
All these developments and moves between Perpignan and Barcelona are being made on the basis of an agreement. This deal was penned last year in order to pave way for Perpignan to play their Euro fixtures on Catalonian’s Spanish side. Last year’s Top 14 finalists
and the 2009 French Cup champions are utilizing the terms on the agreement for the Toulon’s clash.
Camp Nou Stadium, Barcelona’s mythical stadium came in to consideration, but is ruled out of options now. Presidents of both clubs sat down and didn’t find Camp Nou Stadium suitable for the clash and the match is now to be played in Monjuic, which has the
capacity to host such a huge crowd. Presidents are optimistic with this decision as Monjuic has been witnessing very huge crowds in the past too.
Sandra Rosell Monday, the Barcelona’s President met Paul Goze, the Perpignan’s President and afterwards told the media, “We are certain we can meet the challenge of filling Monjuic for a rugby match.”
Goze seems content with the development too. He believes that if the stadium gets filled up then the club certainly going to make a fortune. Perpignan’s home stadium, Stade Aime Giral, can host only a limited number of 14,500 people. He told, “If the stadium
is jam-packed then this match can earn us 500,000 Euros.”
According to the deal, a total number of 20,000 tickets have been allocated to Barcelona, while Toulon holds a share of 8000 tickets and Perpignan has authority over 20,000 tickets. The rest of the tickets are the responsibility of the event organizers,
share holders, sponsors and ERC (European Rugby Cup).
Rosell gave three reasons to why this match is so important for both the clubs. He said, “First, we want to rejoice Catalan rugby, in the South and of course in North, and also rejoice the union of the two clubs. Secondly, it will also be a Catalan party,
an individuality which Barca and Perpignan share.”
Adding the third reason he said, “Lastly, we wanted it to be a family gathering, which can let kids, parents and grandparents to proceed and discover rugby.”
March 9th’s match seems to be a huge venture and with collaboration of world’s top class team Barcelona and people’s most favorite Lionel Messi, we can expect a huge crowd and a tremendous match between the two tremendous sides in full form.
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