Fans pay respects to Johan Cruyff at Barcelona's Camp Nou memorial

• Former Barça player and coach died on Thursday
• Club president: 'These are sad, very sad days'

Posted Sunday, March 27, 2016 by theguardian.com

The Barcelona president, Josep Bartomeu (left) and his Real Madrid counterpart, Florentino Perez, at the Camp Nou's memorial to Johan Cruyff.

Thousands of fans mourning the death of Johan Cruyff have paid their respects to Barcelona's former player and coach at a temporary memorial at the Camp Nou.

The Spanish club said over 5,000 fans passed through the memorial by 1.30pm local time on Saturday. It will remain open through to Tuesday, when Barcelona's players will attend after returning from international duty.

Attendees could sign a book of condolences and file past a large photo of the Dutch great, who died on Thursday of lung cancer, inside the stadium lobby. The photo was flanked by the club and Catalonia flags and rose bouquets.

The Barcelona president, Josep Bartomeu, inaugurated the memorial on Saturday morning for the "maestro" who "changed our club". "These are sad, very sad days for the world of Barcelona and also for the world of football," Bartomeu said.

The Real Madrid president, Florentino Pérez, and Catalonia's regional president, Carles Puigdemont, paid their respects along with fans.

Some fans left scarves, flowers and lollipops – which Cruyff ate as a manager after stopping smoking following heart surgery – outside the stadium.

Bartomeu said that the book of condolences will be given to Cruyff's family. After winning three consecutive European Cups with Ajax, Cruyff joined Barcelona mid-season in 1973 and led the middle-of-the-table team to their first national title in a decade.

He later returned as a coach and guided Barcelona to four consecutive Spanish leagues from 1991-94 and the club's first European Cup in 1992. Barcelona considers Cruyff the mastermind of their signature passing-based attacking football that has helped them to become the world's dominant team for the past decade.

Bartomeu and seven former presidents wrote in a public letter that the "professional and personal footprint he left at our club is enormous".