The last farewell to Carlos Miñarro, the doctor who never said no

BarcelonaThe Sancho de Ávila funeral home in Poble Nou, Barcelona, hosted a final and heartfelt farewell this Tuesday at the farewell ceremony in Carles Miñarro, Barça first team doctor who died on Saturday at the age of 53. "Carles loved. He loved a lot. He was a person who loved and helped everyone. He looked after everyone. He was a discreet, humble and hard-working person, who never said no to anyone. Carlos is gone, but his role model remains. Thank you for your human values. You put medicine at the service of sport. Thank you for giving so much life," said the farewell ceremony for a professional who has left an indelible mark on Barça.

Miñarro's family was accompanied by a notable delegation from the board of directors and the executive committee of the club, headed by president Joan Laporta, in his final farewell. Captain Marc-André ter Stegen also attended, representing a squad of footballers who are still in a state of shock. Doctor Ricard Pruna, Hansi Flick's coaching staff and the bulk of the players, who are in training to play against Benfica, attended the wake on Monday afternoon. Emilio Butragueño also attended, representing Real Madrid. This Tuesday, representatives from the Generalitat and Espanyol, among other institutions, were also at the farewell ceremony. There was also a large representation from the Barça futsal team, where Miñarro worked before making the jump to the Barça first team this year, as Pruna's right-hand man.

"Carles was a very loved person by everyone: by the players, by the coaches, by the sports committee, by his fellow doctors... Not only in the club. Today rivalries don't matter," said President Laporta, in a speech to praise and bid farewell to the valued figure of Miñarro. "He was a doctor with a lot of humanity, passion and a vocation for service. He never said no to anyone," said the top Barça leader, in a praise that everyone who spent time with Miñarro agrees with. "He worked with discretion and humility. He had the trust of our players, of those he looked after. He was a very good doctor, he never said no to anyone. He transmitted very good feelings to the group. If we achieve success this season, it will also be his. People like Carlos make Barça greater," continued La Cabeza, who before bringing up the deceased, was in the first rows of the room.

"I will fight to be like you"

In fact, the Barça leader recalled that Miñarro was very "proud of his family": "Your father, Gerard, had a good time. He was very proud of you and he was a doctor at the club of his life." Laporta's farewell speech was preceded by that of Gerard Miñarro, Carles' teenage son, who moved everyone present with words full of strength and tenderness to say goodbye to his father. "Father, doctor, cook and hopefully in a few years, grandfather. In Mallorca, in Calafell, in all the places we have travelled, at Barça... You will always be with us. I will fight to be just like you as a person," said, through tears, a proud son of his father.

The Song of the Birds, which Miñarro sang as a child with his sister, brought to a close a simple and heartfelt ceremony in which the innocent "bravo" of a little girl for the piece of music, performed live by a piano and cello duo, brought a few smiles to a morning of faces. It was a sincere farewell to a person who was loved, a great professional who Barça will miss.