The FC Barcelona ex-players round off the solidarity day in Lesbos with a match

The Barça Players Association (BPA) and FC Barcelona Foundation touring group successfully completed the solidarity day yesterday in Lesbos (Greece). To bring the day to a close, the FC Barcelona ex-players played a game against Greek ex-players who won the 2004 European Championships. The aim was to raise funds for the refugee camp in Kara Tepe, where the touring group led a football clinic in the morning for 200 children, as another part of the solidarity mission.

The match was played at the Mitilene Municipal Stadium and was attended by 2500 people, including children from the camp in Kara Tepe and the local population (Mitilene). The City Mayor, Spyros Galinous also attended, as well as other local authorities.

The final score was 3-3. In the early stages of the game the Greek side showed a lot of quality and physical fitness. However, the Blaugrana team were able to control the first quarter of an hour and Edmilson opened the scoring on the 15th minute with a move that began on the half-way line. Three minutes later, the Greek team got back on level terms with a goal on the counter, and then took the lead a few minutes later. Edmilson found the back of the net once again just before the break.

As the teams came back out for the second half, with the score at two goals each, the Blaugrana team made some substitutions, but were unable to stop the third goal for the Greek side. With time running out, Blanquera scored a great solo effort, leaving honours even at 3-3.

According to the BPA team delegate, Eduardo Juan, the Greek team was one of the best prepared teams, both physically and technically, that the BPA team have faced this year. At the end of the match, gifts were exchanged to show appreciation for the work done between the Mitilene City officials and the Barça touring group.

The day was rounded off with a dinner for the Greek team and local authorities, but before that Eduardo Juan, Maria Vallès, FC Barcelona Foundation director, Juliano Belletti, Barça ex-player, Spyros Galinous, Mayor of Mitilene and Theodoros Zagorakis, ex-captain of the Greek national team, explained at a press conference the aim of the solidarity action and the desire to continue supporting these types of projects.