Puyol sticks with Barça
Thursday, November 7, 2002
Article summary
FC Barcelona's Carlos Puyol has agreed to stay with the club until 2007.
Article body
Four more years
Puyol is to sign a new five-year contract to replace his current deal which runs out in the summer. It had been rumoured that he could leave Camp Nou, with reported interest in the player from England, Italy and even Barcelona's arch-rivals Real Madrid CF.
Puyol's objective
However, the 24-year-old has eased supporters' fears by committing himself to his local club. "I have achieved my objective, which is to stay at the club," he said. Meanwhile, Barcelona president Joan Gaspart, who had said he wanted Puyol to finish his career with the Azulgrana, said: "Everything is settled."
Ever present
Now in his fourth season in the Barcelona first team, the homegrown Puyol is a totemic figure at Camp Nou. A right-sided defender, he has played every minute of the club's UEFA Champions League campaign in Group H.
