Speaking at a press conference after the match against Valencia, FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta congratulated forward Leo Messi, for his three goals, and also the team for their win against Valencia at the Camp Nou. Aware of the importance of the match, Laporta acknowledged that the victory has been “very important to us.”
“We depend on us and we should not seek excuses. I am convinced we will win the league because we have a very talented team and we depend on us.”
Joan Laporta, FC Barcelona president, celebrating the 50th anniversary of PB Vallès de Sabadell.
FC Barçelona president Joan Laporta stated that he was “very pleased” with the team after the encounter with Almería because “they always stand up despite all the difficulties.”
FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta will next week visit refugee camps in Rwanda which the club’s foundation and the UN have been financing for the past two years.
Laporta will visit the camps at Gihembe, Kiziba, Nyabiheke, which are home to a combined population of over 35,000 people, on Wednesday and Thursday, the European champions announced on their official website.
Barcelona said their charitable foundation had constructed sports facilities and care centres and helped train teachers at the camps.
FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta, is surely enjoying his last days as a president, after Regal Barca won the Basketball’s Copa del Rey in the final game against Real Madrid. Laporta is also leading the Blaugrana’s delegation to Germany where the football team will meet VfB Stuttgart in the round of 16 of the Champions League. Catalan sports paper Sport reports Laporta’s statements from a press conference held before FC Barcelona’s match against Stuttgart and his response to the criticisms raised at Guardiola and the club after the Santander match last Saturday.
“The team works hard and gives everything, but Pep is the one who knows better about the fitness and morale of the team and I trust everything the coach says and does. As a president and as a fan I see that he is doing a great job; I like it because he is demanding and with him we lived the best times in Barca’s history,” admitted Laporta. He also noted the opinion of Johan Cruyff and his weekly article in the newspaper: “It is a free opinion and Cruyff’s critique and opinion is always successful and beneficial.”
Barcelona have denied that they are planning to make a move for Arsenal midfielder and Spanish international Cesc Fabregas (22).
In an interview with The Times, club president Joan Laporta, told that he is not tempted to bring the Spain midfield player back to the club where he was a youth team player.
Laporta also played down suggestions that he has offered Thierry Henry, the former Arsenal forward, as bait to Bayern Munich as part of a deal to take Franck Ribery to the Nou Camp.
Asked if Fabregas could be a summer signing, Laporta replied: “He is not a temptation.”
In the post match press conference the players and the president all agreed that Atletico deserved to win the game and that Barcelona didn’t play very well. However, they all recognized that the team is still in first place and aren’t too worried about Real Madrid having pulled within 2 points.
Iniesta
“Losing is never good. We lost a difficult game but we must continue. We didn’t play as well as normal but we gave it our all until the end. Atletico has a great team and is always capable of winning.”
Xavi
FC Barcelona are unwilling to accept a system of sharing television revenue among La Liga clubs as it would weaken their ability to compete with European rivals, president Joan Laporta said on Wednesday.
Barca and Real Madrid dominate in Spain in part because they each have TV contracts worth around 120 million euros ($165 million) a year, around half the total pot for the 20 clubs in the top flight.
Spain’s professional league (LFP) essentially backs the introduction of collective bargaining but recognises that persuading Barca and Real to accept it would be difficult.
After several months of the Madrid press talking about “Villarato”, Joan Laporta has addressed the issue and given his opinion. “Everything is fine. The subject has been given too much importance. There is no need to fall into their trap. We as a team have a lot of experience and we have to rise above the controversy.”
Laporta continued, “The accusations are unnecessary and they only give football a bad name.” He says the important thing is that “we are 5 points clear of second place and therefore everyone focuses on us.” The president claimed that during his presidency he has never talked poorly of the referees. He maintains that Barca should “remain faithful to their philosphy and aim for victory with talent, identity and with maximum respect for the rival.”
FC Barcelona President Joan Laporta praised the players after the game for their great spirit:
“We showed we can overcome difficulties. The players had to work a lot harder after Piquè’s red card. It was a great game, despite the sendings off”.
Joan Laporta then refused to comment on the referee’s performance:
“We have to try and make the ref’s job as easy as possible and help him as much as possible. The fans reacted responsibly. They criticised some of his decisions and they are free to do that. What we have to do though is work hard and keep playing at the level we have been”.
At a press conference on Friday evening Barca president Joan Laporta has announced that the elections for the presidency of Fc Barcelona will be held on the 13th of June 2010.
“The board has decided that elections will be held on June 13th, the decision has been made and will be confirmed when the elections will be called at the end of April” said Laporta, thus clearing all the doubts that had been generated regarding to election date for the presidency of FC Barcelona.
“The date is right keeping in view the sporting reasons. We did not want the elections to interfere with the sport”, said Joan Laporta.
Johan Cruyff publicly requested through his weekly column in ‘El Periodico’, that it is Pep Guardiola who should set the date of the election day in line with the requirements of the first team (read more). Catalan sports tabloid ’sport’ report that Barcelona president Joan Laporta, has now conveyed the same message. The advisor and the president are both convinced that the current crop have a very good shot at winning the league and the Champions League at the Bernabeu and hence do not want an election battle to disturb it.
‘Sport’ also report that Pep has read and listened to both their views carefully and made his opinion clear: not only does he not intend to set any date based on the schedule of the first team but he also does not want to hear anything about the electoral framework. Guardiola does not want to get involved in any of the electoral mess.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has hit out at claims that delays over Pep Guardiola’s new contract were due to his poor relationship with the coach.
Guardiola has committed himself to another 12 month deal with Barca this week, though is yet to put pen to paper.
Laporta snapped: “But why say this nonsense? How can you say this c***? With Guardiola, there is an excellent relationship, he is a great person, is the best coach in the world and we maintain a very cordial, very correct and I say even an affectionate relationship.”
A special press conference was held at the club’s premises today to announce the renewal of FC Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola for another season, attended by the club’s top brass including the president Joan Laporta, the sports director Rafael Yuste, and technical director Txiki Begiristain, along with the main man himself, the 39-year-old who celebrated his birthday a few days ago.
“We are here to announce that Josep Guardiola will coach the first team next season,” Laporta announced to the media in his opening speech.
Talking to reporters at the opening of the new FC Barcelona museum, club president Joan Laporta yesterday said the club should know by Easter – as early as next April – if Pep Guardiola will remain as the first-team coach and reiterated the desire “of all Barcelona fans” that the Santpedor-born coach remain at the team’s helm “for many years to come.”
While claiming that his intention for giving the deadline is “not to pressure” Guardiola, Laporta said, “There will comes a time when everything needs to be cleared.”
“I can be a leader and the challenge of earning liberty for my country (Catalunya) is very attractive to me. It is what I want for my homeland.“
Joan Laporta, FC Barcelona, on his possible candidacy in the Catalunyan elections in an interview with El Mundo Deportivo.
“The next player to sign a new deal, will be Pique because he deserves it. Today Gerard is one of the best central defenders in the world.”
Joan Laporta, FC Barcelona
According to Catalan sports paper Sport, while waiting to board their flight in Kuwait, FC Barcelona President Joan Laporta approached Pep Guardiola to wish him the festive season’s greetings and slot in an odd request, “Pep, we have to talk.”
The coach was said to have agreed on a date “after the holidays”. Obviously it can be assumed that the topic of discussion between the two will be the coach’s contract renewal, set to expire in June 2010.
As can be expected, the pressure on Pep to renew is great, not only from the club and fans, but also from his players especially those that have just renewed themselves such as team captains Puyol and Iniesta, counting on him being in charge for years to come.
THIS IS A FEATURED POST. PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR THE LATEST NEWS.
A documentary shown a few years ago when Joan Laporta had just become president. Barcelona were in a mess prior to his induction, but his work and the signing of Ronaldinho changes the club’s fortunes.
Part 3 of 3 of a series special on The Inside Story.
“Pep needs some time to reflect and consider the decision that will be a very important one in his life. He has overseen the best season in the history of Barça. He is conscious of the responsibility to continue winning. We all want to win everything one again and we need to take away some of this pressure. For him the question of renewal is a vital one and the sporting side is not, although his family is. That is to say that we have to convince him that we can continue to be successful,”
THIS IS A FEATURED POST. PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR THE LATEST NEWS.
A documentary shown a few years ago when Joan Laporta had just become president. Barcelona were in a mess prior to his induction, but his work and the signing of Ronaldinho changes the club’s fortunes.
Part 2 of 3 of a series special on The Inside Story. Part 1 can be found here.
THIS IS A FEATURED POST. PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR THE LATEST NEWS.
A documentary shown a few years ago when Joan Laporta had just become president. Barcelona were in a mess prior to his induction, but his work and the signing of Ronaldinho changes the club’s fortunes.
Part 1 of 3 of a series special on The Inside Story.
For the Barcelona team, after achieving legendary status barely two days ago, it is obviously very difficult to gather any other thoughts apart from enjoying themselves and living in the moment. But life goes on and it is also necessary to have time to think about the future. It is with these thoughts that club president, Joan Laporta made use of the one hour flight to Kuwait to have an impromptu discussion with Pep Guardiola to try to convince him to renew his contract.
Nevertheless, the coach has again refused to entertain the matter.
British based newspaper ‘The Sun’ today publishes an article that carry a purported response from FC Barcelona president about his determination to capture Arsenal’s captain and Spanish midfielder Cesc Fabregas (22) next summer.
“Cesc is desired by us for many reasons, and he is such a big player. Barcelona have decided to fight for the kid for next season. Our intention is to convince the Londoners about the sale. It won’t be easy but we have good relations with the Gunners,” Laporta was alleged to have said.
Answering a follow-on question about any bid amount, Laporta was claimed as saying, “The money? This will be decided at the end of March, to prepare the way for a deal.”
Interviewed by Catalan radio station RAC 1 the other day, FC Barcelona president, Joan Laporta explained that he will have a talk with the first team coach Pep Guardiola about his contract renewal either during or after the Club World Cup tournament.
And according to a report by Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo, the negotiation which was already initiated by the club months ago, was suspended by the coach, who intends to concentrate fully on his present task. The president also stressed that financial term has never been an issue for the deferment.
Laporta said negotiations timetable is decided by Pep himself, but as he’s not interested in doing it now, everything has to be put on hold. Laporta, Txiki and Sanllehí, nevertheless hope that it can be resumed in the UAE.
President of FC Barcelona, Joan Laporta takes the twenty-first century adage of “work hard, party harder” quite seriously. Prior to this week, Barca were facing the possibility of elimination at the group-stage of Champions’ League and were trailing La Liga leaders Real Madrid by one point. They however, turned things around. Over the week, Pep’s men earned a hard fought victory over arch rivals Real Madrid to regain the league leadership after pulverizing Inter Milan earlier to smoothen their path towards the Round of 16.
Laporta decided that grand happiness deserves grand celebration and let his hair lose in the Luz de Gas discotheque in Barcelona. He was seen drinking champagne and dancing on the night of El Clasico.
Source: Corriere dello Sport
Find a video recording of Laporta’s performance after the jump :)
FC Barcelona president, Joan Laporta, today made an official announcement to the media, after the club’s board meeting, confirming the appointment of Xavier Sala i Martín as the new treasurer, taking over that responsibility from Joan Boix, the current Financial vice-president.
Laporta also affirmed the designation of two new vice-presidency – once held by one person, Joan Franquesa, the club’s Institutional and Heritage vice-president, who resigned a week ago – Institutional vice-presidency is now the responsibility of Albert Perrin, while Jaume Ferrer now holds the position of the Heritage vice-president, abolishing the position of the Marketing vice-president, which is now under the responsibility of the Financial vice-president.
Thus, the five vice-presidents of FC Barcelona are as follows:
In an interview with Italian newspaper ‘Corriere dello Sport’ published today, FC Barcelona President Joan Laporta admits to having a good relationship with his Inter Milan counterpart, Massimo Moratti, which also reveals the intricacies of Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s signing.
“We met at the house of a mutual friend, the Ambassador of Kuwait in Madrid in 2005. We spent all night talking and a friendship was born there,” said Laporta, adding, “He is a very good businessman but is a gentleman nonetheless. He loves football and knows how to manage a football club. It’s no wonder he won the last four (Italian) championships, and I wish he wins the current one too.”
“Yes, our relationship made things that much easier. I knew that the operation was possible on 16 July, on my flight to Donetsk, to negotiate for Chygrynskiy. I told him I will fly over to Italy (to conclude the swap deal) and asked if we could meet in Milan,” Laporta said, acknowledging that rapport did facilitate the Eto’o-Ibrahimovic swap deal.
Catalan sports paper Sport today reports that Joan Laporta’s desire to have Arsenal’s Cesc Fabregas back into the club could be his toughest undertaking yet. The player is not only attracting interest from Real Madrid but also from one of the presidential contenders, Sandro Rosell. Laporta sees Cesc’s acquisition as a coup in the culmination of his presidency, while preventing the player from being used as a pawn during next year’s presidential election, as was reported in an earlier article.
The Barcelona president has spent months testing the waters for the return of Cesc, who is currently having a great time with Arsenal, scoring 9 goals in 15 matches this season. Laporta is said to be in constant contacts with the player and is still waiting patiently for Arsenal to give its green light to start formal negotiations. Laporta has already confessed that the operation to get Cesc will be the club’s major undertaking and estimated the player to cost no less than 50 million euros.
According to the Spanish news site futbolmercado, Barcelona is looking for a replacement for Thierry Henry and are looking at Shaktar Donetsk Winger, Willian Borges de Silva (21), as a possible candidate. After being highly linked with Robinho and Ribery, Barcelona could make a surprise signing with the Brazilian who won the UEFA Cup last season with Shaktar. Willian arrived to the Ukrainian side from Corinthians in 2007. His agent, Paulo Tavares, confirmed that Barcelona is interested in Willian, and that Sevilla and Lyon also follow him:
“There is a clear interest from Barcelona. They regularly scout him and are likely to continue to do so until January. So far, there’s nothing concrete. We hope, however, to sit at the table to start talking before the year ends. If a major European team makes a good offer, he will not stay at Shakhtar. His club calls for between €20 million and €22 million. So far, apart from Barca, Sevilla in Spain and Olympique Lyon in France have been in touch with me, but again, there is nothing concrete at this time.“
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