Unzué speaks out about life with ALS

Former FC Barcelona player and coach Juan Carlos Unzué was in the Auditori 1899 today to speak about his battle with illness. "Last February the preliminary diagnosis of the summer before was confirmed” he said. “I have ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) and it is affecting my limbs. There is no treatment nor cure for the disease.”

Unzué, accompanied by FC Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu, thanked Barça and everyone in attendance, including first team coach Quique Setién, several players, former coach Luis Enrique Martínez and Carles Puyol, for their support, adding that “I’m coping with it well. I’m mentally strong enough to live with this disease and feel privileged to have led the life I have led until now.”

“In three months I have learned how little awareness there is of ALS and the lack of resources in our country. My aim is no longer to coach football, that part of my life is over. Now I am signing for a modest but highly committed team: ALS patients. There are 4,000 of us in this country. Every day there are three more of us, but we also lose another three.”

“I want to help these people by raising awareness, trying to find a treatment to stop it and finally finding a solution for this disease. June 21 is World ALS Day and we want to achive that visibility and for people to realise what difficulties so many families are suffering in this country.”

Barça career

Juan Carlos Unzué was a Barça player for two seasons (1988-1990), playing 38 games in goal and winning a Cup Winners’ Cup and a Copa del Rey. In 2003, he returned to the club as goalkeepers coach, serving through to 2010 under Frank Rijkaard and Josep Guardiola. In his third period at the club, he was assistant to Luis Enrique (2014-17), thus playing a part in the greatest Barça team of all time, including both treble-winning seasons (2009 and 2015).