Interview with Akshat Divatia, Penya Barcelonista

Akshat Divatia of Penya Barcelonista NY sat down to speak with Snippet Soccer on his involvement with the Penya as well as his love for the Blaugrana.

How did you become a Barcelona fan?

Akshat with Eidur Gudjohnsen during F.C. Barcelona's 2006 U.S. Tour

Well, I was destined to become a Barça fan from the day I was born: May 20! For many fans, that is still the most important date in the club’s history, on which the Blaugrana won their first European Cup. Kidding aside, I was born several years before Johann Cruyff’s Dream Team beat Sampdoria at Wembley, and in 1992, I’d never even heard of Barça. My first exposure to FC Barcelona came when I studied abroad on an exchange program at the University of Barcelona in 1994. It was my first time in Europe and my experience in the Catalan capital had a deep impact on me. I fell in love with the city first, but I started feeling an emotional attachment to Barça the moment I set foot in the Camp Nou. It was a Champions League match against Spartak Moscow, which we won 5-1, with goals from Romario, Hristo, Amor, and Koeman. Ever since, I’ve followed the club, be it on shortwave, the Internet, Catalan radio stations, at Nevada Smith’s, or on Barça TV. I became a Gent del Barça (quasi-member) in 2002 and a Soci in 2004.

What’s your fondest memory of Barcelona? Any games? Any players?

Wow - there are so many! The match against Spartak Moscow, as I’ve stated, was very special because it was my first time in the Camp Nou. The 5-4 Copa del Rey match against Atletico Madrid, (known in Barça lore as Pizzi, Sos Macanudo) was pulsating to listen to on shortwave radio. I lost count of the times I’ve watched highlights of the 3-2 Liga match against Valencia, where Rivaldo scored a last-gasp overhead kick that sent all culés into rapture. There was the 1-2 Liga win over Real Madrid in the Bernabeu, thanks to Xavi’s looping finish past Casillas, which confirmed Barça’s resurgence under Rijkaard. I was at the Estadi for the two consecutive 5-0 wins against Real Sociedad and Panathinaikos in 2005, and at Nevada Smith’s, saw the 0-3 Liga whitewash of Real Madrid at the hands of a majestic Ronaldinho in the Bernabeu. And finally, of course, was the 2006 UEFA Champions League Final, a game where I was fortunate to witness Barça conquer its second European Cup.

Akshat escorting Lionel Messi during FC Barcelona's 2006 visit to New York City

I’m a history buff, and I could name as favorites many players who I never saw play, from Kubala, to Cruyff, to Maradona. But, if I were to limit myself to those who have played for Barça over the last 15 years, this would be my starting lineup: Goalkeeper: Valdes; Defenders: Bakero, Puyol, Koeman, Midfielders: Xavi, Cocu, Luis Enrique, Ronaldinho; Strikers: Rivaldo, Eto’o, and Messi.

Pep Guardiola has come in and pretty much stabilized the club from what it was last year. In your opinion, what’s the biggest difference between the coaching styles of Guardiola and Rijkaard?

They represent two ways of looking at soccer despite a common experience. Both Pep and Frank had long careers with legendary teams, as well as experience playing in foreign leagues and for smaller teams. That gives both of them a multifaceted perspective on locker room dynamics. Rijkaard is a hands-off coach who respects each player’s privacy and believes in the team’s internal code to correct its problems. As long as the players were motivated, Rijkaard’s strategy worked. However, when things started to unravel around him, neither did he notice them, nor was he adequately supported by the club’s entourage. Guardiola, on the other hand, is a fully-immersed coach, who seems to plan out every minute detail. He knows how to motivate players and is very familiar with the many interests and distractions that surround the world’s biggest soccer club. However, his character will be tested when the team stops winning, when players become complacent, and when the media demands a record-breaking season like the one we’re having, year-after-year. The concept of a permanent coach, like Sir Alex Ferguson, would not work at Barça because of the club’s democratic nature. However, if there’s one figure that can perennially coach Barça regardless of who presides over the club, it’s Pep.

Tell me about your experience with the Penya. What role have you played?

Akshat with some of the Penya's co-founders

I first felt the incredible presence of the Penya in November 2005 when my wife and I came to watch the Madrid- Barça Derbi at Nevada Smith’s. It was the 0-3 match I talked about earlier, the one where Ronaldinho’s supreme performance earned him a standing ovation from the Madrid supporters. When I expressed to the Penya’s founders my desire to be an active part of the group, they asked me to provide the Penya with a presence on the Internet. With help from The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Creating a Web Page and Blog, I initially created a blog and then co-developed the Penya’s website in January 2006. Since then, I oversee our Penya’s communication activities.

What initiatives have you been involved in to grow the group?

The credit for our Penya’s activities cannot be singled out. We have a core group of extremely loyal members who come to Nevada Smith’s to watch even the friendly matches. At the same time, we are recognized by FC Barcelona, as one of the most influential Penyas in the world. Our co-founders are instrumental in both of those achievements, and we are just as indebted to Jack Keane and the staff of Bar Nevada Smith’s for treating us as their own. Together, we have raised awareness about Barça in New York City, including FC Barcelona’s noble partnership with UNICEF. We are routinely featured in Spanish and Catalan media, and Bar Nevada Smith’s has become a must-see place on the list of culés passing through New York. We’ve organized groups to attend Barça’s friendly matches with the New York Red Bulls at Giants Stadium in 2006 and 2008. FC Barcelona and the club’s players have given us autographed memorabilia to display at the bar. Club directors, including President Joan Laporta on two occasions, have made special visits to the bar to watch Barça matches with our Penya members. We compete in a New York City amateur soccer league. I, along with a host of collaborators, have helped the co-founders enhance the reach of the Penya and the prestige of Barça. These results have been possible only because of the words of the Barça anthem, tots units fem força (together we show our strength). Although culés come and go, we rely on our core Penya group to create a corner of the Camp Nou in the heart of Manhattan.

Any final thoughts and do you think Barcelona can take the Copa del Rey, the La Liga and the Champions League this year?

To the best of my knowledge, only four European teams have managed to win the Treble in the history of the game: Celtic (1960s), Ajax Amsterdam (1970s), PSV Eindhoven (1980s), and Manchester United (1990s). The closest Barça came to achieving this was when they did the Double by winning La Liga and Copa del Rey in 1998. It would be unrealistic and unreasonable to put that kind of expectation on them this year. They’ve qualified for the Copa del Rey final, for the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League, and at the time of this interview, hold a six point lead over Real Madrid in La Liga. As fair it is to demand that Barça win one trophy every year, it is just as unfair to fill newspaper pages and airwaves with talk of the Treble. If it happens, that moment will be etched in the memories of culés forever. Until then, we must take pride in supporting a team that does not compromise beautiful futbol and fair play just for results, and a club that is democratically run and socially committed.

Share: