The world of football and sports medicine is in mourning. During the night of this Saturday, March 8, the passing of Dr. Carles Miñarro, a recognized and highly respected professional who was part of the medical team of FC Barcelona for 8 years, was announced due to a heart attack at the Gran Melià Torre Melina hotel.
Miñarro García, 53 years old, joined the azulgrana entity in 2017 as part of the medical team of the futsal section, becoming a key figure in the club thanks to his specialty in sports traumatology and his dedication to the care of the players. For this reason, the board of directors decided to incorporate him into the first team this season in place of Dr. Xavier Valle.
The doctor, father of two children, stood out in the City of Barcelona for his work in the area of injury prevention and treatment, leaving an indelible mark on the institution due to his commitment to the well-being of the players. His work both in the futsal team and in Hansi Flick's squad was highly valued by the club, which attributes part of the recent successes of the entity to him.
The impact of Miñarro went beyond Barça, as he combined his work at the club with a private practice and also participated as a medical-sports coordinator in the PAFES (Physical Activity, Sport and Health Plan) of the Generalitat de Catalunya, demonstrating his commitment to promoting health through sport.
Miñarro, a reference in sports medicine
Before his arrival at Camp Nou, Dr. Miñarro served as an Assistant Doctor in the Assistance and Preventive Unit of Sport at the Centre d’Alt Rendiment de Sant Cugat for six years, combining his position with that of head of medical services at the Centre d’Esports Sabadell (2014-15), standing out as an expert in sports medicine and physiotherapy and establishing himself as a top-level professional.
Graduated in Medicine and Surgery from the Universitat Rovira i Virgili in Tarragona, he dedicated his career to the care and rehabilitation of elite athletes. Miñarro specialized in the treatment of sports injuries and optimizing physical performance, combining his passion for sport with his commitment to health, a mix that led him to work with some of the best clubs and athletes in Spain.
Miñarro also passed through the ranks of other teams in the Catalan community, such as Terrassa Futbol Club (2004-12), Sant Andreu (2012-2014) and Sabadell (2014-2016). After his time with the striped team, he landed at the azulgrana stronghold to take charge of the futsal section, where he was responsible for the medical sports tests (general examination, anthropometries, spirometries, ECG), direct and indirect stress tests, health status assessment, and adaptation to physical effort.
To top it off, Carles was the treasurer of the Catalan Society of Sports Medicine and worked at the Arquer Institute in Barcelona, specifically in the musculoskeletal and sports center. Highly respected among his peers, Miñarro is described as someone "very hardworking, serious, eager to progress, and above all honest and a good person" by his colleagues in the profession.
Dr. Miñarro, a beloved figure in the Barça locker room
Miñarro, known for his kindness and determination, was characterized as a resolute doctor, doing the right thing in every situation, no matter how complex it seemed. Gavi knows this firsthand, as after his strong blow to the head in the match against Alavés, it was Dr. Carles who convinced him without much hesitation that he had to go with him to the Hospital of Barcelona.
Since July, he had been the right hand of the historic doctor Ricard Pruna, who has been in the medical services of the first team of Barça for almost three decades, and with whom Miñarro alternated league travels. In fact, it was Carles who attended to Marc Bernal and Marc-André Ter Stegen when both suffered serious injuries in the matches against Rayo in Vallecas and Villarreal in La Cerámica, respectively.
Miñarro's figure was very beloved and respected in the azulgrana locker room. The doctor had a very close relationship with players like Gavi, Dani Olmo, Pedri and Ronald Araujo, whom he was very attentive to throughout the first half of the season while he recovered from his right hamstring injury.
The '20' blaugrana, for his part, was one of the most affected by the passing of Miñarro, with whom he had maintained a relationship for years thanks to his father, Miquel Olmo, as he coincided with the doctor during his time as coach of Sabadell and Terrassa. "Difficult to believe and accept everything that has happened. Carles, thank you very much for all the help you have given me, not only this year but throughout my career. You will be greatly missed and your person will always be remembered in our hearts and in my family's", wrote the midfielder.
The affection expressed by Olmo in his message is shared by the entire first team squad and those who knew him, who today mourn the painful departure of a reference in sports medicine, a top-tier professional, and a person who left his mark on the hearts of all who had the fortune to cross paths with him.