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Barcelona’s presidential candidate, Joan Laporta, is seen as the favorite in the next vote.
Laporta was president between 2003 and 2010, overseeing the most successful period in Barcelona’s history, and his affection for the club has led him to lead a passionate campaign to return to the top position at the Camp Nou.
“Because I love Barcelona,” Laporta replied when asked why he was racing again. “I like challenges and this is the most important of my life right now.
“Of course I made mistakes [in first spell]But I’d rather remember the good times I learned from mistakes and that experience will help me not to repeat them. I don’t pretend to look at myself in the rearview mirror, I’m very focused on what to do from the 24th [of January].
“I have very good memories of the past, things turned out very well. Excuse me for remembering only the good. Of the bad, [I aim to] learn and correct it. “
Laporta was a vocal critic of former president Josep Maria Bartomeu during his presidency.
“I already said in 2015 that I did not trust the people who were going to run the club or its management model. We left such a good legacy, they wanted to take advantage of it so much but did not make the necessary adjustments. . “
Real Madrid won three Champions League titles when Bartomeu was in command and Laporta regrets that Barcelona only added one of those trophies in that time.
“We lost great opportunities to have the best player in the world [Leo Messi],” he said.
“We should have won more Champions, we hope to resume that success story of Barcelona with the Champions. By the way, during my tenure Madrid did not win any.”
Laporta is not ashamed of stirring up controversy, highlighted by her decision to hang a giant poster of her campaign in a building near the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in December.
“The poster has a sense of humor and an irony that can be accepted,” he defended.
“It is not to provoke, it is to highlight my profile. I think they have accepted it with humor and sympathy.”
Life with new manager Ronald Koeman has not started well, with the Dutchman registering the worst start to Barcelona’s campaign since Frank Rijkaard was in charge 17 years ago, during Laporta’s time as president.
“I remember our first year with Rijkaard. The first part of the season was stressful because we were not winning. Valencia, Deportivo and Real Madrid came and beat us. [at Camp Nou],” he remembered.
“The second half was spectacular. We did not lose in 18 games and we were on the verge of winning the League. By this I mean that anything can happen in football.
“Football is a state of mind and what now seems complicated can change. And that is what we will try if I am president because in Barcelona there are no years of transition.”
When asked what he would like to dedicate to Johan Cruyff at the end of his hypothetical next five years as president, Laporta’s eyes filled with tears.
“When you ask me about Johan, I get emotional,” he said. “Of course I would dedicate all the successes to him, but above all, all the games in which we play spectacular football, the ones played with the genuine style of Johan.”
Possible departure of Messi
One big issue that needs to be resolved by the incoming president is the issue of Leo Messi’s possible departure, with the player giving a recent interview that suggested he was still unhappy. But Laporta does not feel that all hope is lost yet.
“I see it positive because he said he will wait until the end of the season and that gives us time to make a convincing proposal,” he said.
“And I have an advantage, with Leo I have credibility. He always tells me that everything I promised him was fulfilled. You know that if I give my word, I keep it.”
Laporta is convinced that the VAR favors Real Madrid
“If a Martian comes down to earth and sees the VAR, he would quickly say that he is in favor of Madrid,” Laporta said.
He also believes that Barcelona have lost their influence at the highest level of sport.
“He has lost a lot of specific weight in the [Spanish Football] Federation, LaLiga Santander, UEFA, FIFA and in all the bodies that govern football ”, he said.
“Barcelona has to regain its credibility. It must have a presence to intervene in the decision-making that affects football in general. In my previous stage, for example, I did not miss a RFEF meeting.”
With a new president, rumors of new coaches and players inevitably arise.
“I have my own sports project. I have three names for the position of technical secretary. I will not fall into the trap of naming,” he said.
“It is not that I want to avoid the question, it is that the player’s price would go up and our player in that position would suffer a drop.
“All the agents are calling me. I know them all and they want me to be president again, but I have told them that I am not talking about players or coaches for now.”
Will Laporta make signings in January?
“The technical secretary would have to inform us. What I would ask the secretary to do is not limit himself in his tasks.”
Laporta is quite an outspoken figure, particularly when it comes to political issues, but he insists he doesn’t want controversy.
“I will not fall into the trap of those who want to divide us,” he insisted.
“Those who promote this type of conflict are those who use politics for everything. Now that is not a priority. Now it’s time to get the club up and running and for Barcelona to be the engine of optimism.
“Favorite for the election? I don’t think so. I’m optimistic and I have the mentality of a winner.”
Source: m.allfootballapp.com
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