Joan Laporta considers that the 91 million losses with which FC Barcelona closes the 23-24 financial year is a matter of “prudence” and assures that the board has acted “correctly” when preparing the accounts that the members must vote on. “We are better than when we arrived in 2021. There is incontestable data,” he stuck out his chest.
The president of Barça gave an interview in the club’s official media at the gates of the delegates’ assembly this Saturday to defend his management and clarify the auditor’s comments on his numbers. “We give 91 million losses that are attributable to non-payment but that result is an exercise in prudence and transparency,” he said, in reference to Libero’s non-compliance with his Barça Vision obligations.
Libero’s non-payment is something but the auditor considers that it should drag us into the rest of the future payments that this company had to make.”
The club’s version is that “non-payment is something circumstantial.” “But the auditor considers that the rest of the future payments that this company had to make, which were less than 40 million, should be carried forward,” he explained. “We have acted correctly and the auditors’ qualification fits with what I am saying. The auditor speaks of “impossibility of quantifying” the value of Barça Vision but does not say by how much the value must be lowered,” he added to justify insisting on the price of 400 million.
Because the president remains very optimistic with the business plan of this subsidiary, in which the club still has a 53% stake. “I am convinced that in the near future it will be one of the club’s great sources of income. It is a gold mine and in the medium term it is an asset that can give Barça a lot of money,” he predicted.
And as proof, Laporta recalled that “money has already arrived.” “55 million in cash have come in: Aramark, Vestigia and Socios.com have come in,” he listed, before explaining that the type of partner they are looking for is “technological or capital-based, who gives us momentum and then leaves.”
The assembly comes at a good time. The fact that it is telematic makes it more participatory and we have data that proves it.”
In addition, he discovered that there are new people interested in entering the shareholding. “Several investors are already in the ‘due diligence’ process,” he said. Also in “Silicon Valley they see an opportunity in Barcelona”.
Laporta defended that the assembly be telematic because “it is more participatory. “We have data to prove it.” And in the face of the opposition’s catastrophic analyses, he stated that “the economic recovery of the club is a reality and has been done without the member having to dig deep into their pockets.” “We have finally healed the wound and we can finally say that the ordinary result is positive. “It was the objective we had: for Barça to make money.”
The opponents are wrong with their proclamations. They intend to weaken me and my board. But I always finish my mandates. The elections will be in 2026.”
In that sense, the president was critical of the opponents, such as Víctor Font or Som un clam. “At this moment of happiness for the culés, they are wrong with their proclamations. They intend to weaken me and my board. But some comments are out of place and those scenarios are neither there nor expected.” Laporta has no intention of shortening his mandate. “The elections will be in 2026. I have always finished my terms.”
The board is excited about the pace of work at Spotify Camp Nou and the proximity of the return to Les Corts. To the point that it can be a source to end the red numbers. “In the last season at the Camp Nou we earned 229 million in the stadium and in the last one, all in Montjuïc, 126. With that difference of 100 million we would no longer make a loss,” exemplified Laporta, who recalled that on the return, which for reasons calendar, it could be at the beginning of February, “there will be inconveniences but the excitement of returning home overcomes everything.”
In the Federation I still don’t know who I have to interact with. “It was reckless that they wanted to convince Lamine Yamal to play with an overload.”
On the other hand, there are things that are not even considered for economic recovery, such as the painful sale of key pieces. “Six months ago they came to buy Lamine Yamal for 250 million and I said no,” he revealed.
The president referred to the controversy with the RFEF. “In the Federation I still don’t know who I have to deal with yet,” he conceded and raised his tone by assuring that “it was reckless that they wanted to convince Lamine Yamal to play with an overload” after the match against Denmark. “Those who pay for the party are the clubs. “We have to negotiate again in favor of the players and the clubs.”
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