'We want Colombia to support Barca'
Josep Maria Bartomeu confirmed Barcelona's desire for Colombia to start supporting the club after the signing of Yerry Mina on Thursday.
Their Spanish rivals Real Madrid managed it in 2014 with the signing of James Rodriguez and now the Catalan club has tried to copy their strategy. The Barcelona president wants to promote his team all over Colombia, a country with a great footballing tradition and who are trermendously grateful to the stars that represent them abroad.
In addition, the operation could be quite beneficial for the Spanish giants because 'Los Cules' have not had to pay as much as 'Los Blancos' did for the acquisition of the attacker from Monaco after the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. However, Mina is not James and will be hoping to impress at the Camp Nou significantly more than his compatriot managed in the Spanish capital.
Bartomeu confessed: "He (Mina) is the first Colombian to be part of the first team at Barcelona and we hope he stays for many years. We have an objective, that Colombia is with Barcelona and with Yerry."
The current La Liga leaders know that the South American market is a great unknown in Europe and as one star arrives to the limelight, another tends to leave. In Barcelona's case, reports claim that Argentine international Javier Mascherano will leave now that the young Colombian has officially joined the squad.