The president of FC Barcelona Joan Laporta has explained how the departure of Xavi Hernández was forged and what the board's position is on the coach's “deferred resignation”. “It is a formula created by and for him and that is what I told him,” Laporta assured in his first words since the coach announced that he would leave his position at the end of this season. In statements to RAC1the president of Barcelona has acknowledged that “if it wasn't Xavi, I would have already fired him,” but that “if he wants, he will finish the season” because “he doesn't deserve to be fired.”
“I found out that he was leaving after the game against Villarreal and at first I thought I could convince him. I immediately realized that my decision had been made. Even so, I told him that the club was willing to fight with him until the end, he has a contract and we were going to respect it,” Laporta said. “I want Xavi to continue until the end of the season. I think it is the best and I am sure that he will work hard until the last day. He has given up the last year of his contract and that gives him a lot of dignity. Now he is more motivated than ever and he feels liberated,” added the Barcelona president. The Terrassa coach is calmer, after announcing that he would leave the club. “I see the people united, my decision was right,” he said at the end of the victory against Osasuna. The legend of Barcelona fans – an essential lifeguard for him to remain in office today – does not feel valued and has defined his work, several times, as “cruel”. A perception that Joan Laporta did not want to comment on in depth because “it is very subjective”, but he believes that “Xavi could have been helped more”. And he adds: “I have already gotten used to accepting the harshest criticism from the press. Catastrophism is practiced about the situation of the club.”
Despite everything, Barcelona was prepared for “an emergency situation.” If Xavi resigned immediately, Rafa Márquez would have assumed the position: “he is the most common, he is the coach of the reserve team and he is trained in-house,” Laporta confirmed. On June 30, the Barça bench will be empty, in search of a new tenant who will join a long list in the last 12 years. Seven since Pep Guardiola left. “Pep, Luis Enrique and Koeman had their time and now Xavi will have his,” commented the president. Laporta assures that he has not spoken with any coach – a role that falls to Deco – but that “Barça's style is non-negotiable and whoever comes has to have a certain track record.”
The Blaugrana club is far from leading the League, it fell in the Cup, but it is still alive in the Champions League. They are the results of “a great squad, affected by injuries”, which has been able to be combined with “economic recovery”. At Can Barça, led by its president, they are very positive: “If the budget is met, the most disastrous stage in the history of Barça will end.” Compliance depends on the arrival of new sponsors and the purchase and sale of players, although seconds before he assured that departures were not contemplated. The budgets for the 2023-2024 season, approved by the assembly, contemplate income of 859 million euros, among which 86 are expected in transfers. “If we fulfill the fair play financial, a very complicated stage will end and we will be able to return to 1×1 [LaLiga no pone restricciones en la confección de la plantilla]″, he predicted.
Laporta has defended his economic management, with a “very ambitious budget.” ”When we arrived we had 500 million losses and 1,500 million debts. Barça Legends and Merchandising bill triple and we have reduced the wage bill by 172 million”, he began. “98% of the club's income was sports wage bill, which is now at 57%,” she detailed. “We do not depend on Libero's 40 million and we already have other candidates to replace them that I like better,” the president wanted to highlight, since the fund is being sued by Barça for non-payment.
On the Super League: “If the English don't come, I'll lose it”
Meanwhile, the Negreira case continues its judicial process – the former vice president of the Technical Committee of Referees is summoned to testify on February 21. “Judge Joaquín Aguirre, at the request of Real Madrid, has extended the investigation period. Madrid is not behaving well, they who have controlled the referee presidents for 70 years. They are doing an exercise in cynicism that is not acceptable. It is a shame, as it was on the day of Almería and on top of that they are saying that the referees help Barça”, he reproached the white club very harshly. Laporta accuses the entity chaired by Florentino Pérez of setting fire to an “orchestrated campaign”, from which “Barça will be acquitted because referees were never bought.” Both presidents have not spoken since the Super Cup, where they did talk about the Super League: “If it is not from 2024-25, it will be in 2025-26, if not, I will rethink everything. For me, the fact that the English don't come bothers me,” Laporta said.
Puma, an alternative to Nike
Without a coach for next season, with the Super League up in the air and a crisis of results, the possibility of FC Barcelona and Puma reaching an agreement for the German brand to become the new Barça sponsor is gaining strength. First, it is essential that he separates himself from Nike, with whom they have a contract until June 30, 2028. “We are considering terminating the contract, out of absolute respect. They have made an effort, but it is not enough”, were the words of Joan Laporta about a situation that “is not desirable”. The market, he says, pays them double what the Oregon brand does and it “does not replace their material.” For the president, there are three options: “continue with Nike, take what the market offers us or do it ourselves, through BLM.” Barça, which already makes its own clothes, does not rule out this option, but recognizes that “it is not the safest.”
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