Enrique Piñeyro Queralt facts for kids

Enrique Piñeyro Queralt, also known as Enric Piñeyro, was an important Spanish leader who became president of FC Barcelona between 1940 and 1943. It's said that he didn't know much about football and had never even seen a game before becoming president! He was a friend of General José Moscardó and had been a soldier on the side of the Nationalists during the Spanish Civil War. Because of his loyalty to the government at the time, he was chosen to lead the club.

Even though he started this way, Piñeyro soon became a big supporter of Barça. He defended the club during a difficult time when Spain was under strict new rules. He eventually resigned after a very controversial football match in 1943 against Real Madrid. During his time as president, the club had to change its name and its shield. In 1941, a new rule made it illegal to use non-Spanish names. So, Football Club Barcelona had to become Club de Fútbol Barcelona. The Catalan flag, which was part of the club's shield, was also banned and had to be removed. Piñeyro also helped start new teams for the club, including handball (now known as FC Barcelona Handbol), baseball, and cycling teams.

Leading FC Barcelona

Piñeyro gave his first speech to the FC Barcelona board on March 13, 1940. He shared his goals: he wanted the club to focus on sports, not politics, and to achieve great things in games. One of the first things he did was to fight against a six-year ban. This ban stopped Spanish athletes who had left the country from returning. Thanks to his efforts, several former FC Barcelona players, like Domènec Balmanya and Josep Escolà, were able to come back to the club.

A Season of Challenges and Triumph

These returning players proved very helpful during the 1941–42 season. Barça, coached by Joan Josep Nogués, had a tough time in La Liga, which is Spain's top football league. They almost got sent down to a lower league! But they managed to avoid this by winning a special play-off game against Real Murcia.

Despite their struggles in the league, the club achieved something amazing that season. They won the Copa del Generalísimo (now known as the Copa del Rey). They beat Atlético Bilbao 4–3 in a thrilling game that went into extra time.

Resignation and Return

Just a week after the important play-off game against Real Murcia, Piñeyro resigned as president on August 13, 1942. He had been in the role for two years and four months. However, he returned for a second term just one month later.

During the 1942–1943 season, Barça finished third in La Liga. They also reached the semi-final of the Copa del Generalísimo, where they faced their big rivals, Real Madrid. Barça won the first game 3–0 at their home stadium, Les Corts. But in the second game, played at Real Madrid's stadium, Charmartín, they lost by a shocking score of 11–1.

The Controversial Match

It was said that the Barça players felt pressured to lose this game. This pressure came from supporters of the government at the time and from a very unfriendly home crowd. After this controversial match, Piñeyro complained to the Royal Spanish Football Federation. He then resigned as club president for good on August 20, 1943.

See also

In Spanish: Enrique Piñeyro (Marqués de la Mesa de Asta) para niños