‘Barcelona would not pay €100m for Bale’

Blaugrana president Sandro Rosell claims
"people would go crazy" if his side sanctioned
the level of spending enjoyed by rivals Real
Madrid this summer
Barcelona president Sandro Rosell says he
would never have allowed the club to pay the
€100 million fee which Real Madrid spent on
Gareth Bale.
The Wales international secured his protracted
move to Santiago Bernabeu shortly before the
end of the summer transfer window, though
the sum involved has attracted significant
criticism, with Barca coach Gerardo Martino
claiming it showed "a lack of respect for the
world we live in."
While Rosell admits the timing of Martino's
comments was ill-advised, he has voiced his
own disdain for the world-record fee, claiming
that his own club could never match such
sums on a single player.
"I wouldn’t have paid €100 million [for Bale],"
he told TV3 .
"Barcelona cannot allow for that. If we pay
€100m, people would go crazy. Madrid is a
private institution and if their socios allow it,
then I have nothing to say.
"We need to tell Tata that he can’t always say
what he thinks, but he was speaking from the
heart."
Rosell was quick to praise Madrid for their
decision to allow Kaka to return to AC Milan on
a free transfer, however, stating that the
departure of the likes of the Brazilian and
David Villa from Camp Nou are useful in
freeing up the wage bill.
"Madrid selling Kaka to Milan for nothing was
a good move. That’s one huge salary off the
books at least. Just like selling Villa was a good
move for us," Rosell said.
The 49-year-old also revealed he has been in
touch with Tito Vilanova, who is continuing to
battle cancer following his relapse earlier this
year.
"I had dinner with him the other day and he
looked well. He’s fighting, he’s putting all his
energy into it and I hope he comes out alright
on the other side," he added.
Meanwhile, Barcelona were handed a boost
after Sergio Busquets returned to training on
Monday. The midfielder, who injured his thigh
in the 3-2 Liga win over Valencia, has stepped
up his recovery after being forced to withdraw
from the Spain squad for the matches against
Finland and Chile.