Former Barcelona executive Gabriel Masfurroll dies

BarcelonaGabriel Masfurroll has died at the age of 72 after a long illness. The economist was a pioneer of the private healthcare system in Spain and served as vice president and spokesperson for FC Barcelona between 2000 and 2002 – during Joan Gaspart's presidency – after having been a member of Josep Lluís Núñez's board. Masfurroll was involved in one of the club's most important decisions: the signing of Leo Messi. Years later, he also served as vice president of the Barça Foundation between 2000 and 2015, under Sandro Rosell's presidency. His commitment to sport extended beyond Barça, as he chaired the Laureus Foundation in Spain, a non-profit organization that works to integrate people at risk of exclusion through sport, and was an ambassador for Madrid's Olympic bid in 2012 and 2016.

Masfurroll had a close relationship with three historic figures of FC Barcelona: Johan Cruyff, Pep Guardiola, and Leo Messi, with whom he formed a strong bond due to a shared problem. The daughter of the former Barça director also suffered from a hormonal deficiency, as did the Argentine star. This, according to Masfurroll, brought the two families closer together. During his youth, he was a member of Club Natació Barcelona and even competed for the Spanish national team.

Boost to private healthcare

Aside from her career in the world of sports, she contributed to the growth of private healthcare in Spain. Masfurroll founded, among others, the USP Hospitals group and the Mi Clinics Group. She also acquired the Tres Torres Clinic in Barcelona and the NovAliança Clinic in Lleida. On a more social level, she co-founded the Catalan Down Syndrome Foundation and established the Mi Álex Foundation, named in honor of her second son, Álex, who was born with Down syndrome and died at the age of three. In 2008, the Generalitat of Catalonia awarded her the Creu de Sant Jordi (Cross of St. George).