The unresolved issues this summer are piling up on Joan Laporta. Serious, forceful, but satisfied and proud of the sporting, economic and social direction taken, the Barça president appeared at the Auditori 1899, at the foot of the construction site for the new Spotify Camp Nou. The last time he had appeared in public was more than a month ago at the presentation of Hansi Flick – on July 25 – where he only answered a few questions from journalists. And the last time he spoke at length was to the club’s media in June. His statements have not changed much, although the dates have been delayed, and the pending files remain open, such as the contract with Nike, the non-payments on Barça Vision or returning to the 1:1 rule, that is, that the club can invest in signings the amount it frees up by selling players or saving on membership cards. “Barcelona has had ordinary positive results this year,” he said at the beginning of his speech. And he puffed out his chest: “We are 60 million euros away from reaching 1:1. Could we be there already? Yes. We have not reached 1:1 because we did not want to. […] I am confident that we can have it in October.” The key is the contract with Nike, which the entity is still negotiating with expectations of improvement: “It will be the best sports equipment contract in the world of football.”
But the problems of fair play They have been chasing Barcelona every summer since Laporta began his second term in office. Even with big departures, such as that of Ilkay Gündogan, one of the best players of last season, but who returned to Manchester City after just one season as a Barça player. In his farewell on social media, he assured that it was to help the club financially. But Laporta has offered another version: “After a meeting with Flick and an assessment of the situation of the squad, he has decided that he wanted to leave. It has been a solely and exclusively sporting decision. What has had an economic impact on our summer? Yes, but it has been sporting.” Also saying goodbye were the loaned players João Félix and João Cancelo —“they were not necessary”—, Mika Faye left, and Sergi Roberto got tired of waiting.
Despite the numerous departures, there have only been two new signings: Pau Víctor and Dani Olmo. The latter could not be registered until the third matchday of the League. “We are very satisfied. Our priority was to sign an important player, who was Dani Olmo. […] The plan is to extend his registration, and we will have the opportunity to do so in the 1:1,” Laporta admitted. Financial obstacles have complicated the summer for the sporting director, Deco, whom the president praised: “He is the architect of us having Hansi Flick, Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor, and also the new physical trainers. With Deco, the wage bill has been reduced and at the same time the sporting quality of the squad has been improved. He has done a great job this summer.” And despite the published information that it was possible that Deco would leave his post, Laporta denied it. “I have feared for his health. These summers are extremely stressful. But I have not feared at any time for his continuity,” he assured.
One of Deco’s challenges was the possible signing of Nico Williams, one of the names that resonated after his performance at the European Championship. After being optimistic about the operation —”Barça is ready to face any operation,” Laporta said at Flick’s presentation—, the Athletic Club striker decided to stay in Bilbao. The president avoided the subject. “I won’t talk about players who aren’t ours,” he replied. But later he asserted that “it’s not true” that footballers don’t want to come to Barcelona because of the economic situation. “There are many players who want to come to Barça. We have the opposite perception.”
Laporta also refused to give a date for the Spotify Camp Nou, but he is confident in the forecasts established for the end of the year. And between praise for Flick, some of the players in the squad and the full set of victories at the start of the League, Laporta claimed his second mandate: “We have made a united front to face the attacks that came from all sides. We have held out and we are winning. We are better economically, socially and sportingly. We are stronger than ever, and very proud to be cleaning up the club.” He denied having sold optimism, but he still wants to generate hope.
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