Domènec Carulla i Bertran

Domingo Carulla Bertran (25 October 1903 – 31 December 1939) was a Spanish footballer who spent most of his career at FC Barcelona. A midfielder with a remarkable technique, Carulla was an outstanding player in the so-called Golden Age of Barcelona, one of the brightest times in the entity's history.

He was a member of Spain's squad for the football tournament at the 1924 Summer Olympics, but did not play in any matches. He also played one match for Spain B.

Club career

Born in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Carulla began his career in 1920, when he was only 17 years old, with FC Internacional, which in 1922 became UE Sants. His performance was sensational and he aroused the interest of FC Barcelona, which signed him in 1923, making his competitive debut in a Catalan championship match against Sabadell FC (2–1) at Les Corts on 21 October. In the eight campaigns that he spent with the club, he played 267 games, scoring 15 goals (9 goals in 121 competitive games) and winning three Copa del Rey (1925, 1926 and 1928) and five Catalan championships.

He was a member of Spain's squad for the football tournament at the 1924 Summer Olympics, but did not play in any matches.

Later life and death He married Antònia Comas Codina, a nurse, with whom he had two children: Joan (1925) and Mingo (1934). He lived thanks to a small business until, with the Spanish Civil War, he was expropriated from his house on Aragó Street. Then, in 1937, Carulla suffered a serious illness (tuberculosis) that admitted him to several sanatoriums. Barça organized a match for his benefit on 15 August 1937 at Les Corts. UE Sants gave him another on 12 September, a football match that was disputed by the Catalonian selection and the UE Sants of veterans, and between the Sants first team and the Barcelona reserve team, with both games ending in a two-goal draw.

Carulla died on 31 December 1939 at the Esperit Sant hospital in Santa Coloma de Gramenet. He was only 36 years old. He was buried in the municipal cemetery of Santa Coloma on 1 January 1940.

Honours Club FC Barcelona La Liga: 1928–29 Copa del Rey: 1925, 1926 and 1928 Catalan championship: 1923–24, 1925–26, 1926–27, 1927–28 and 1928–29

International Catalan XI Prince of Asturias Cup: 1923–24