Then three on one side three on another, insulting me calling me everything from son of a bitch to I don’t know what else. They must have been Mad Boys because they said ‘why don’t you talk to the Mad Boys?’”.Arrests are made and the details of an extraordinary plot against the new board begin to emerge. According to the police, a former Bar?director, along with executives who lost their jobs after the club elections, have been inciting violent fans to intimidate Laporta Court documents are published in the press. The plotters allegedly planned to scare Laporta out of office, making way for the return of the old regime. The board postpones all discussions on how to deal with the Mad Boys until after the trial.28 February, 2004 Bar?have won their last five matches when they travel to La Coru?for the return match against Deportivo, one of the strongest teams in the league. Rijkaard’s quiet approach has gradually created a relaxed and confident atmosphere among the players Bar?score three goals in a brilliant first half.

Deportivo score two in the second half and are on the verge of equalising when the final whistle goes. Laporta calls Rosell from his mobile straight after the game. “Sandrusco are you still alive?”The winning streak makes commercial planning easier They begin to plan the summer tour. “At the stage we are in at the moment I think it’s best to go to Japan, which is a great market, 100 million inhabitants, rich people, they love football and like Bar? If we work it well, the brand will last as long as you like,” explains Ingla, at a private lunch at the club.Laporta now has ever better grounds for his natural optimism. “Today, I started to count the matches that Madrid or Valencia have to lose for us to win the league Hey, let’s keep our spirits up Deportivo will start losing. Madrid will start losing, in time…”21 March, 2004 At home against Real Sociedad, Ronaldinho scores the winning goal from a free kick in the last minutes, and the stadium erupts. Bar?are only six points behind Real Madrid.As usual, the directors and their wives dine and watch the match analysis on the television in the presidential lounge at the ground This time they stay well past midnight.

Before leaving they go out into the presidential box for a last view of the pitch. “You know how much I want to do this,” says Laporta, and shouts out: “Bar? Long live Bar?and long live Catalonia!” into the vast, empty, half-lit stadium.25 April, 2004 It’s five months since Real Madrid beat Bar?at the Nou Camp in Barcelona. Bar?arrives for the return match after a spectacular comeback in the league They’re unbeaten in their past 13 matches This time it’s Madrid that have a record to defend They have not lost to Bar?at home for seven years. In a bus led through the city by a police motorcyclist, the directors head for the Bernabeu stadium singing the Bar?hymn.In the first half of the game it looks as though Real Madrid will win easily. Bar?s goalkeeper, Victor Vald? makes several spectacular saves Madrid score.

Then in the second half, Bar?equalise, and Madrid suddenly collapse. With only four minutes to go, Ronaldinho, with insulting ease, chips the ball over the defence, and Xavi, a small Catalan midfielder, leaps in the air to help it over the Madrid goalkeeper and into the net. Bar?win 1-2.On the way back two planeloads of Bar?followers, players and board members blast out the Bar?hymn which is now a little truer than before the match. “We have a name the whole world knows: Bar? Bar? Bar?”When they arrive in Barcelona, several thousand ecstatic supporters have turned out to meet them. The club’s security does not dare let the players out, fearing the crowd will get out of control. But Laporta insists, and eventually leads them out himself, cutting a way through the jubilant mass, to calls of “President! President!”Through all the celebrations, Laporta and Rosell seem to avoid each other Less than a month before, they had been inseparable.