Joan Laporta, FC Barçelona’s president from 2003 to 2010, is one of the favourites to replace the ousted Josep Maria Bartomeu in this month’s election
VAR favours Real Madrid
According to Barcelona presidential candidate Joan Laporta, if an alien came to earth, he would immediately notice one thing – that VAR prefers Real Madrid. Laporta, FC Barçelona’s president from 2003 to 2010, is one of the favourites to replace the ousted Josep Maria Bartomeu in this month’s election. The 58-year-old looks set to continue the Catalan tradition of antagonizing Real Madrid by hanging a large campaign poster next to the Santiago Bernabeu in December. “The poster includes a sense of humour and irony that can be accepted,” Laporta told reporters. “It shouldn’t be provocative; it is to highlight my profile. I think they took it with humour and empathy”. Barcelona are sixth in LaLiga, eight points behind Real Madrid and ten adrift of leaders Atletico Madrid. But Laporta believes the officials have played their role.
Laporta have his sporting project if elected
“If an alien came down to earth and saw VAR, they would quickly say that it is in Real Madrid’s favour,” he said. Verbal jousting with Barça’s rivals won’t be enough to get the club out of their current rut, of course. And Laporta says he has transfer plans to put in place if elected. “I have my sporting project and I have three technical secretary names. I will not fall into the details of naming names. It’s not that I want to avoid the question, it’s that the player’s price will go up and our player in this position will suffer a drop in shape. All the agents are calling me. I know all of them, and they want me to be president again. But I told them that I am not talking about players or coaches yet.”
When pressured on whether he would sign on the January transfer window. With a window week to run after the election – Laporta added: “The technical secretary should have told us. I would ask the secretary not to limit himself in his tasks”. The election campaign at Barcelona officially begins on January 15, and the elections itself to be held on January 24.