EL CLÁSICO
Barça to wear "Gràcies Johan" on their shirt for El Clásico
The tribute to Cruyff will replace the World Club Champions FIFA emblem on the front of the playing shirt. A 90,000 card Gracies Johan mosaic will also be displayed pre-match.
FC Barcelona board members decided that Saturday's game against Real Madrid will also serve as a homage to Johan Cruyff. For one game only the FIFA World Club Champion badge will be replaced with a logo bearing the legend ‘Gràcies Johan’ on the front of the Barça home shirt. Both teams will be accompanied onto the pitch with children wearing a t-shirt representing Cruyff's charity organisation and supporters at Camp Nou will display a 90.000 piece mosaic also paying tribute to the Dutch maestro who passed away last week..Ahead of the match a tribute video will also be shown on the video scoreboard at the stadium.
The board members refused to go into any further detail as regards future tributes to the former player such as stadium naming or erecting a statute. Club spokesperson, Josep Vives stated: “The naming of the stadium after Cruyff wasn't discussed. At the moment we need to do things in a calm and progressive manner. nothing can be ruled out”.
Vives went on to thanks all supporters, other football clubs and Real Madrid got a special mention. "I'd like to thank Madrid for their support at this time and extend this personally to Florentino Pérez and Emilio Butragueño for their visit to Camp Nou”.