The history of Catalan football is full of unique stories, and one of the most surprising involves UE Sant Andreu in the late seventies. This club, known for displaying the 'senyera' on its kit, found itself in a dire financial situation during the 1976-1977 season, facing the imminent risk of dissolution.
At that time, the 'quadribarrat' team was fighting to stay in the Second Division, but poor results led to the resignation of its president, Joan Comas. The situation worsened with relegation, leaving the club in a desperate position. It was then that Fèlix Romero, vice-president and future de facto president, devised an unconventional solution.
Romero contacted the celebrated painter Salvador Dalí, asking him to create a work of art to raise funds and save the club. Dalí accepted the proposal, motivated by the fact that UE Sant Andreu wore the four stripes of the Catalan flag on its jersey, a symbol he valued.
“"It is the day that the Generalitat de Catalunya officially returns, and if Catalonia has scored a goal with the Generalitat, I title it 'Gol'."
The painting, titled Gol, was exhibited in a gallery for a value of four million pesetas. However, the path to salvation was not straightforward. The players, who had not been paid for months, sued the club, and the justice system seized the artwork until the debt of one million pesetas in salaries was resolved.
Once the salary issue was settled, the judge returned the painting to the club for auction. Despite attempts, most auctions were declared void. Finally, a board member acquired the work, and since then, the whereabouts of Dalí's painting that saved UE Sant Andreu remain a mystery.
