New Chapecoense president reveals Barcelona were the only club to help them after air disaster

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

Four months ago the world wept for Chapecoense, the tiny Brazilian club devastated by a plane crash in Colombia.

71 of the 77 people aboard the flight perished, and there was in an instant and sincere outpouring of grief from every corner of the sporting planet.

But the club's new president, Plinio David de Nes, has revealed that only one other team has actually contributed financially to their rebuilding, which this week saw them re-enter continental competition for the first time as they played in the Copa Libertadores.

"Only Barcelona have been with us," he said, "from the very first moments.

"They made money available to us and then in August they invited us to play the Gamper Trophy with the money divided between us."

Barcelona have taken their fair share of criticism in recent years and months for abandoning so many of the principles that made them més que un club.

But where genuine human tragedy was concerned, they were the only club to come up with substantial aid for a team that needed it.