Joan Laporta might resign from the presidency of the FC Barcelona and relinquish his position when there are still a few months before the elections, in favour of his first vice-president, Alfons Godall, the person he preferred to lead the ‘continuity’ ticket, claims Catalan paper El Mundo Deportivo.

Godall would then end his mandate as president, come election time, and prepare himself for the election campaign proper. Some sources also suggest that this way, Laporta is thus able to thoroughly prepare himself for his assault on the regional elections taking place next year.

Godall, himself has not decided yet, as he said it on Sunday, and is never closer than ever to respond positively to the wishes of his friend, Laporta. One factor that can tilt the balance to lean towards ‘yes’ for Godall is precisely Laporta’s resignation. This would allow him, the chosen successor, to prepare for the elections in an advantageous position, especially if the sports results keep maintaining the level they are at, at least similar to that of last season.

Laporta’s rise in local politics seems to have confirmed the feeling that the current president feels he has no time to lose if he wants to play a role in the upcoming regional elections. Some sources close to him also think Godall has discussed this possibility with him and view the Christmas break, immediately after the Club World Cup, as the ideal time for the hand-over.

Similarly, for those close to Laporta, a hypothetical resignation of the president is interpreted as a way for Godall to enter the office the president as a ‘wildcard’, in view of the fact that another vice-president, Jaume Ferrer has already been chosen by a majority of the board to be the ‘continuity’ candidate. Today, when the board meets, it can be supposed that the subject of Laporta’s succession is going to be a hot topic.

For references, the statutes do allow for the club president to leave and for the most senior vice-president take over. The most recent precedent is the Gaspart-Reyna hand-over, but the motivations were different then. Also in the 1977-78 season Agustí Montal left office, which Raimon Carrasco occupied. At the end of that season, presidential elections were held (the first democratic elections for that era), but Carrasco did not take part.