The president of FC Barcelona, Joan Laporta, has started the week on the right foot: Franck Kessie is already a Barça player and in the next few hours the signing of Christensen could be closed. These are operations of a sports model "with a large number of home-grown players who are complemented by the incorporation of players from outside" and which he describes as "viable and sustainable." This is how he expressed himself this Monday, hours after closing the signing of Kessie, during his participation as the protagonist of the third edition of the Moments Estel·lars de la Barcelona Contemporània cycle, organized by The New Barcelona Post, in collaboration with Must Media Group, CASA SEAT and Barcelona Global, and presented by journalist and UPF-BSM professor Toni Aira.
The conversation, however, revolved around the title of the session: Barça: Ambassador of Barcelona in the world. A reality of which Laporta is convinced and feels part of because "Barça today is global and culés from all over the world recognize its uniqueness and know of its origins in Barcelona, in Catalonia, and it is a club that deeply transmits the values of the country." In this sense, Laporta has shown himself proud of Barcelona and has asked to "combat the defeatism" that has settled in the city. "We have a great city, a great country, people who are very worthwhile. We cannot be in a defeatist or victimist mood, because we have a lot of work to do and we cannot waste time complaining," he emphasized.
The Barça president reviewed sporting events such as the first European Cup in Barça's history in the Wembley 92 final or the role of player and coach Johan Cruyff, "of whom I was lucky enough to be a friend," and an admirer because "he marked us as a generation," he stated. The president of FC Barcelona explained that he now wants to "be 'tritranquilo' again and win a sextet", in reference to the moments experienced during his first mandate at the head of the Barça club (2002-2010).
"We must combat defeatism; we have a great city, a great country, people who are very worthwhile"Regarding his current mandate, Laporta, who at no point hid the fact that the situation is complex, is clear about one thing: "We are going to move forward by working more and better; there is no other secret. And above all, by loving the club, because to do it well you have to believe in yourself, in your team, in the project you have, in how you want to carry it out... and I believe in all of this." And within this framework, the future includes plans such asthe construction of the new Espai Barça, with the new stadium as a key piece ofa city that has recovered "the entrepreneurial spirit, the desire to do things, to make them succeed... Barcelona's moment is now", the president of FC Barcelona has sentenced.
"There is no business school that teaches how to run a football club; you can do a lot of theory, but, in the end, what is needed is to get to work and believe in the project surrounded by a good team," he highlighted when asked about his management style. "Every day something happens at Can Barça and, deep down, that is a lot of fun: every day you are solving problems!" he expressed amused.
Asked by journalist Toni Aira about the Barça project, Laporta assures that "before 2026 we will have a new stadium that will be a world reference, which will be surrounded by a campus that will become a sporting reference, but it will also be a broad project with a very technological and sustainable character, of great magnitude and stimulating," specified Laporta, determined that "Barça wins and can bring joy back to the culés."
"Every day something happens at Can Barça and, deep down, that is a lot of fun: every day you are solving problems!"About Barça's echo in the world, Laporta is clear thatthe "peñas" are the true "ambassadors in the world", but wants to go a step further and contribute to that role of emissary of the city and of Catalonia that FC Barcelona is. "We will createa network of centers around the world that, like a Consolat de Mar, will bring the Barça experience closer to places where there are many fans and supporters clubs", he explained to a crowded audience that filled the CASA SEAT auditorium to capacity. "The fan clubs are very important for the club; there are 1,800 spread around the world with more than 200,000 fans," he added.
This is one of the projects Laporta has on the table to "once again position Barça as a global reference"; an objective for which it is also necessary ---"without a doubt," he clarified-- to win, "but not to win in any way, but by playing well, offering a spectacle, enhancing the values of the club... because then is when we gain recognition, when we awaken affection." In the opinion of the culé president, it must be taken into account that Barça "is always trying to make history" and seeks glory. "Barça is a team admired for the way it wins: in Wembley and in Paris there was a lot of epic, how you win is very important," he considered.
Regarding the locker room and the feeling that players now live in a bubble, far from the real world, Laporta assured that it is necessary to "find the balance." "There is no need to protect them so much and let them become the owners, but neither to leave them too unprotected and let this be a free-for-all. The chain of command must be very clear and we must know that in difficult times we must all act as a big family," he added.
"Barça is always trying to make history; it is a team admired for the way it wins, with epic"Journalist Toni Aira brought the third session ofStellar Momentsleading the guest to the most personal ground, that of his future once he leaves the presidency of Barça, not in vain the lawyer and businessman Laporta is still a surprising character who also got involved in politics, in 2010, with the foundation of Democràcia Catalana (DCat) and obtained a seat in the Parliament of Catalonia.But there will be no more politics, his purpose, as he has announced, is "to travel the world before I get too old."
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