Joan Laporta spoke to Món Esport, where he addressed several key topics such as sporting plans, financial matters, Raphinha & Flick, and the election.
On Flick:
A major focus of the interview was the future of coach Hansi Flick. Laporta explained that, at the German coach’s request, any decision has been delayed until the end of the current season. “He prefers at the end of the season to analyse the situation and decide what to do,” Laporta said. He emphasized that the coach “has earned continuity” and expressed a desire to “consolidate such a competitive Barça”.
“At the end of the season, calmly, we will talk about it. He doesn’t have that need. He is a very honest man with himself and very professional. I think he has earned the contract renewal, but he prefers to talk about it at the end of the season, analyse the situation and decide what to do. If we do one more year, it already has it. I think he has the feeling that, if he had many years of contract, someone might think that he relaxes,” Laporta added.
On economic solutions:
Laporta pointed out that “All La Liga clubs face very strict economic control”. He revealed that the club expects revenues of €1.1 billion, exceeding projections, which should improve their ability to meet financial fair play requirements and make signings.
He also underlined the club’s backing of the coach’s transfer choices despite financial difficulties: “Xavi asked for Gündogan and we signed him”. He added that even with economic challenges, they have still secured the players requested by their technical staff.
On transfer strategy & La Masia:
Laporta stressed that the club should not enter the transfer market unnecessarily, instead prioritizing internal talent and only strengthening the squad when truly needed. He believes the current team should be preserved and further solidified after reaching a high competitive level.
He reiterated the importance of La Masia, saying he strongly believes in its role, just as in his earlier presidency. According to him, Barça’s greatest successes came when homegrown players formed the core, complemented by high-quality signings from abroad. He noted that the club currently has many such academy players and concluded that new signings will only be made if the football department specifically requests reinforcements.
On the presidential election:
Laporta said he hoped his celebratory behavior after the election did not offend anyone and described a complaint filed in the National Court as a “dirty move”. He suggested that many parties, both locally and from afar, are interested in controlling Barça, especially during election periods.
He added that although he could have used certain information against rivals, he chose not to, as it does not align with his approach, while accusing others of being willing to act unfairly.
On the Negreira case:
Addressing ongoing criticism linked to the “Negreira Case”, Laporta claimed that those seeking to damage the club are relentless. He argued that there has been an attempt to tarnish one of Barça’s most successful eras and admitted that relations with Real Madrid have significantly worsened because of the issue.
**On Raphinha’s injury:**
Laporta expressed frustration over Raphinha’s injury during the international break, calling it a major setback. He called for FIFA to improve the scheduling of international matches to better align with club competitions.
He noted that injuries in friendlies, such as one involving top national teams, are particularly frustrating. However, he also acknowledged that players cannot be blamed for participating, as they are professionals representing their countries and naturally give their full effort.