“They withstood all the threats…” | Relief

The images that circulated around the world last Sunday at the Metropolitano Stadium during the Madrid derby, which saw the match stopped for a quarter of an hour due to objects being thrown at the Real Madrid goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtoisthey speak for themselves. In the stands behind one of the goals where Atlético Front is located, ultra-symbols, fans with their faces covered and great belligerence were seen, all accompanied by behavior inappropriate for a football stadium. And this is not the first time. This ultra-group has already been involved in terrible episodes in its history and even murders. The intervention of the red and white is not enough.

With the help of binoculars and a time machine, the entity led by Enrique Cerezo is able to see how Joan Laporta put an end to the overwhelming influence of Boixos Nois.who also had a criminal and inappropriate sports history at the Barça stadium. It was not an easy and rose-filled affair, but it was ultimately a success, given that the Boishos exist today but are a smaller group, and although incidents have become more frequent last season, especially in the Champions League, it is not much less than it was before. “They withstood all the threats,” explain sources who lived through this process.

In his election platform, Laporta promised to act. This happened from the moment he positioned himself for the presidency with his program. Blue elephantand posed a threat to José Luis Nunez and Joan Gasparte, presidents from 1978 to 2003. “These directives protected Boisho. They had their own place at the Camp Nou, where they kept their flags, their utensils…”– explains one of the sources who lived at that time. And also their brass knuckles and baseball bats. Laporta became president in 2003, got to work and wore them down like a Malayan straw.

“The first step was to take away their privileges”they add. At that time, Boixos Nois were not considered an ultra group, but rather another group, like any neighborhood or city, made up of families, children, and grandparents. The situation changed with the arrival of Laporta. “They enforced a zero-tolerance policy.”explains the same source. Before arriving, they enjoyed free tickets, subsidies and financial assistance and moved freely. At the Joan Gamper Trophy they already saw that the situation would change. And they didn’t like it. They had previously campaigned for the northern gate of the Camp Nou, and participants remember that “it was scary to go there,” as explained by someone who occupied a seat on the second tier and asked for change. Threats were the order of the day.

Employee arrested, pints and change of address

The Boixos counterattacked, making life impossible for the energetic Laporta, who was 41 at the time. Graffiti on his house (target) and death threats changed his life significantly: he went to Sant Cugat del Valles (15 km from Barcelona), he had to have an escort and his brother-in-law, Alejandro Echevarria was given power as a member of the club’s security team.. The fall of Boijo became a personal crusade for the Laporta-Echevarria family. And the son-in-law pulled the contacts to act.

This is not surprising. In October, Manuel Santos, an employee who joined Barça 20 years ago and was in touch with the Boixos (the head of security was Antonio Iglesias), was fired. Both worked for Nunez in guarding parking lots belonging to the president, where some of Boisho were located, daily affairsspecifically. During the investigation into the Vic plot, the Guardia Civil discovered a call from Santos to everyday (the most brutal branch of Boyho) with the aim of attacking the president’s house. He was arrested and released on charges. At that time, it was a scandal and proof of what the Barcelona president was fighting against.

…And he loaded it with arguments in favor of continuing the crusade. The final straw came in a match at the Palau Blaugrana when a member of the Boixos approached Laporta in what was interpreted as an attempted attack. Barça appointed Elias Freise as head of security, expelled members of the squad, sacked others, and at the end of the 2003–04 season there were barely four survivors at the Camp Nou. Laporta scored a goal to eliminate them from the field, and over time the organization created a new entertainment stand that sought to unite all groups of young people. Formula adopted by other clubs such as Espanyol and its Blue and White Brigadesan ultragroup that, after the opening of the new Cornella El Prat stadium in 2009, was dispersed. But Laporta’s initiatives were not free. There was stiff resistance.

Currently, Boixos Nois and other ultra-groups continue to roam Barça territory, controlled by the Mossos d’Esquadra and especially finding loopholes to penetrate outside Montjuïc and into away games, especially in Champions through entrances distributed across clubs. Less represented and organized than in previous years, although still trying to attract new members. Vice-president Elena Fort, after the club without fans was sanctioned in Belgrade against Red Star in the Champions League after the incident in Monaco, spoke about “shame” and anxiety that exists. “It’s starting to feel unpleasant to join them in the stands,” some fans explain. But everything is not the same as before. After this year-long process, which almost cost Laporta his health, but reduced the disease that was visible in Metropolitan on Sunday.