Catalans Dragons line up Nou Camp return if they secure Grand Final glory

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josie andrews
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Catalans Dragons line up Nou Camp return if they secure Grand Final glory

Post by josie andrews »

The Dragons owner Bernard Guasch has set his sights on smashing the Super League record again.

Catalans Dragons owner Bernard Guasch believes Super League title glory could see the club return to Barcelona’s iconic Nou Camp to set another record-breaking attendance.

Steve McNamara’s side beat Wigan Warriors at the famous football stadium in May 2019 in front of 31,555 supporters.

The figure topped the previous Super League attendance record of 25,004 set during a Wigan-St Helens derby at the DW Stadium in 2005 and further raised the profile of the Dragons less than a year after they became the first French club to lift the Challenge Cup.

That famous success over Warrington Wolves at Wembley led to Guasch being invited by Barcelona FC to stage a Dragons home fixture in the Catalonian capital.

As they prepare to face defending champions St Helens at Old Trafford on Saturday, Guasch said: “Joan Laporta, the Barcelona president, is a close friend of mine and if we win on Saturday we will have the opportunity to go back to the Nou Camp again in the coming years; not with 30,000 fans but with 50,000 or 60,000.

“Joan should have come to the Grand Final but has a big meeting on Saturday so has sent a letter to apologise for not being there. His vice-president was at the semi-final [against Hull KR].”

Guasch is a rugby league and a Dragons fanatic who made his money selling meat.

He admits the crippling financial impact of the pandemic has hit the club hard, forcing them to take out a loan from the French government which will be repaid over the next five years.

Guasch shelled out £50,000 per game on a private jet to fly McNamara’s squad to games in England last season, totalling around half a million Euros.

He added: “When you are family, you got stronger and closer in difficulties.

“And it's thanks to the French rugby league family that we have been able to go through this difficult period.

“The partners, sponsors and supporters have got behind the club.

“We launched an online fund-raiser for fans and sponsors.”

Guasch cannot say how much of his personal wealth he has poured into the club because “he doesn't want his wife to be aware of it”.

He added: “What I’m doing for rugby league is paying back what it gave to me. It’s normal and I do it naturally.”

McNamara survived the sack after a difficult first few months in charge but he led the Dragons to Challenge Cup glory in 2018 and now title glory beckons.

Guasch paid tribute to the former England boss, saying: “It's the chairman role to support his coach and without a coach you cannot run the team.

“I would be very, very happy for Steve if we win on Saturday.


“We have learned a bit more about each other over the years – it’s two very different cultures – but he deserves to win for what he has done.

“Steve has huge knowledge of the game and knew all about the English players, he learned about the French and created a good mix.”

On Sunday, Guasch will be back in France to see Toulouse Olympique host Championship rivals Featherstone Rovers in a promotion decider, where victory would set up a Super League derby with Catalans next season.

The Dragons supremo added: “We can create a new era for rugby league in France.

“I hope the French rugby league will be smart enough to work together, the French Federation, Toulouse Olympique and Catalans Dragons.”

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/ru ... h-21808262
Anyone can support a team when it is winning, that takes no courage.
But to stand behind a team, to defend a team when it is down and really needs you,
that takes a lot of courage. #18thMan
josie andrews
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Re: Catalans Dragons line up Nou Camp return if they secure Grand Final glory

Post by josie andrews »

Good Luck to all at Catalan Dragons 🐉 in the Grand Final 😊🏉
Anyone can support a team when it is winning, that takes no courage.
But to stand behind a team, to defend a team when it is down and really needs you,
that takes a lot of courage. #18thMan
fozzieskem
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Re: Catalans Dragons line up Nou Camp return if they secure Grand Final glory

Post by fozzieskem »

I've brushed up my French in the catalan end for this afternoon really looking forward to it
buttmonkey2
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Re: Catalans Dragons line up Nou Camp return if they secure Grand Final glory

Post by buttmonkey2 »

I've got tickets for the new James Bond film tonight.

More looking forward to that than any of the rugby that's been on show this season!
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nathan_rugby
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Re: Catalans Dragons line up Nou Camp return if they secure Grand Final glory

Post by nathan_rugby »

buttmonkey2 wrote: Sat Oct 09, 2021 11:42 am I've got tickets for the new James Bond film tonight.

More looking forward to that than any of the rugby that's been on show this season!
Nobody is forcing you to watch rugby.
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buttmonkey2
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Re: Catalans Dragons line up Nou Camp return if they secure Grand Final glory

Post by buttmonkey2 »

nathan_rugby wrote: Sat Oct 09, 2021 2:04 pm
buttmonkey2 wrote: Sat Oct 09, 2021 11:42 am I've got tickets for the new James Bond film tonight.

More looking forward to that than any of the rugby that's been on show this season!
Nobody is forcing you to watch rugby.
And I've news for you Nathan. I didn't

Rather enjoyed the film and helps forget the dismal stuff nowadays. Crap that is supposedly passed off as "rugby" when it inherently is nothing more than 5 trundling lugs driving it in with a clueless kick at the end - kick/clap/repeat for 80 minutes

Hell I could fall asleep with that on offer this season by Wigan. Surely the club could market and sell the match videos as a benefit to insomniacs everywhere as a sideline and money raising opportunity??

BTW no need to reply Nathan. I simply don't care how much you enjoyed last night's grand final - played by someone other than Wigan
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fozzieskem
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Re: Catalans Dragons line up Nou Camp return if they secure Grand Final glory

Post by fozzieskem »

buttmonkey2 wrote: Sun Oct 10, 2021 11:45 am
nathan_rugby wrote: Sat Oct 09, 2021 2:04 pm
buttmonkey2 wrote: Sat Oct 09, 2021 11:42 am I've got tickets for the new James Bond film tonight.

More looking forward to that than any of the rugby that's been on show this season!
Nobody is forcing you to watch rugby.
And I've news for you Nathan. I didn't

Rather enjoyed the film and helps forget the dismal stuff nowadays. Crap that is supposedly passed off as "rugby" when it inherently is nothing more than 5 trundling lugs driving it in with a clueless kick at the end - kick/clap/repeat for 80 minutes

Hell I could fall asleep with that on offer this season by Wigan. Surely the club could market and sell the match videos as a benefit to insomniacs everywhere as a sideline and money raising opportunity??

BTW no need to reply Nathan. I simply don't care how much you enjoyed last night's grand final - played by someone other than Wigan
Bond film any good,off to see it Tuesday but they nearly always send me to sleep
josie andrews
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Re: Catalans Dragons line up Nou Camp return if they secure Grand Final glory

Post by josie andrews »

fozzieskem wrote: Sun Oct 10, 2021 2:13 pm
Bond film any good,off to see it Tuesday but they nearly always send me to sleep
That’s the best place for me to have a decent catnap 😉

Never any quiet in our house unless the cats are asleep & the dogs are out on their walk, like just now 😂
Anyone can support a team when it is winning, that takes no courage.
But to stand behind a team, to defend a team when it is down and really needs you,
that takes a lot of courage. #18thMan
buttmonkey2
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Joined: Thu Aug 26, 2021 1:50 pm

Re: Catalans Dragons line up Nou Camp return if they secure Grand Final glory

Post by buttmonkey2 »

josie andrews wrote: Sun Oct 10, 2021 2:18 pm
fozzieskem wrote: Sun Oct 10, 2021 2:13 pm
Bond film any good,off to see it Tuesday but they nearly always send me to sleep
That’s the best place for me to have a decent catnap 😉
So it's you I'm behind in the cinema snoring away :lol:
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buttmonkey2
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Re: Catalans Dragons line up Nou Camp return if they secure Grand Final glory

Post by buttmonkey2 »

fozzieskem wrote: Sun Oct 10, 2021 2:13 pm Bond film any good,off to see it Tuesday but they nearly always send me to sleep
It's long and to say you need to park your brain at the entrance (as you do for all fiction to be fair) is an understatement

Not a lot I can say without spoilers but it closes chapters on a few things.

Rami Malek and Christoph Waltz (especially) are great actors and neither are in the film enough
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