Laporta talks Xavi, Messi, Guardiola, Cancelo, Felix, Flick, Marquez, Bergvall, Real Madrid, Negreira, Nike
It has been a turbulent few weeks for Barcelona as they have gone through some difficult moments, starting from the Spanish Super Cup final defeat to Real Madrid to the Copa del Rey elimination at the hands of Athletic Club, followed by the 3-5 loss to Villarreal.
Soon after that match against Villarreal, manager Xavi Hernandez announced his decision to leave Barcelona at the end of the season, creating an atmosphere of doubt and uncertainty around the club for what lies ahead.
Earlier today, Barcelona president Joan Laporta sat down for an interview with RAC1 and discussed the situation at the club as well as Xavi’s decision and the potential candidates to succeed the club legend.
“I am busy at Barça, at the moment we are in a sporting situation, which is not as we had planned, we are not throwing in the towel,” said Laporta kicking things off (h/t SPORT).
On Xavi’s decision
The Barcelona president then discussed the announcement made by Xavi to step down at the end of the season, saying: “I heard the news after the Villarreal game. It was surprising because we hadn’t planned for it.”
“Xavi is an honest person, at first I thought it was because of the defeat, but I saw that he had thought about it, reflected on it, and believed it was the best thing to free the team and himself. I thought that this was the best thing for the club,” he added.
Discussing his own reaction after learning about Xavi’s decision, Laporta said: “When he tells you something like that with a lot of conviction. I replied that if we had to fight for his continuity, we would do it. I told him that I accept this formula only because it’s you.
“Because of your Barcelonaism and professionalism. You took the team in difficult times. Last year he won a very difficult league and the Spanish Super Cup.”
Laporta then went on to add that despite things not going well for the team this season, the idea of sacking Xavi never entered his mind at any point.
“We all had the feeling that we had improved the squad, but it has gone wrong. I never thought about his dismissal. We always wanted him as Barça coach,” he remarked.
Further insisting that he does not plan on sacking Xavi until the end of the season, Laporta said: “I want Xavi to continue until the end of the season. If he continues until the end, it’s up to him. I’m not going to sack him no matter what. He doesn’t deserve it. He deserves that we trust him.
“We are not throwing in the towel in the league, in the Champions League we face Napoli, but Xavi is very motivated. I have no doubts about Xavi and the motivation and commitment of players. Xavi is honest and if the formula doesn’t work, he would say so.”
“We accepted this formula only because it was Xavi. Otherwise, we would have sacked him,” he added.
“We can still win it, if we can win the next two games, anything can happen. I’m not thinking about the Madrid derby, I want to beat Alavés,” he stated on the La Liga title race.
On Xavi’s comments about the pressure coming from the press and media at Barcelona, he said: “It’s a very subjective thing. You can always help more in life. Xavi deserves to be helped. He has to value the treatment of the press.”
“Catastrophism is practised about how the club is doing. The fans know where we have come from and why we have come here. We have saved the club financially, in the process of recovery. If we can achieve the budget we have set this year, we will have saved the club.”
On potential replacements
When asked about the search for a new manager to replace Xavi at the end of the season, Laporta said it was all up to sporting director Deco.
“It is in Deco’s hands the new coach. We are working on different options. I am focused on the end of the season. I have to keep a cool head. I have full confidence in Xavi until the end of the season,” Laporta remarked.
There were reports earlier this week claiming that Deco had made contact with former Bayern Munich manager Hansi Flick to replace Xavi. When asked about it, the president replied:
“This is for Deco to decide. I have not spoken to any coach. Things are limited. A coach with a certain track record has to come in, unless we make a more imaginative decision.”
On whether Barça Atletic manager Rafa Marquez is also a contender, he said: “He is not ruled out. He’s coming up in the club, he’s known the club and he knows the players who are coming up. He is an asset.
“At the moment, the sporting structure of the club, when I say it is ready for emergency, was for this. The club is ready to put the second coach in the first team.”
On his decision to get rid of Garcia Pimienta, who is excelling as the manager of Las Palmas, Laporta said: “I don’t regret my decision not to keep him on. He is a great coach, home-trained, but it was a decision we made.”
On whether Pep Guardiola returning is an option, he said: “He has a contract with Manchester City (2025) and he respects contracts. I speak often with him and I know what the club thinks about him.”
About a tribute to former captain and club legend Lionel Messi, he added: “The tribute will be when Leo decides. We want to do it because of what he has represented for the club.”
On the squad, transfers, and the finances
Laporta also went on to remark that the number of injuries to key players had impacted the team and the performances this season, saying:
“It’s a very competitive squad, which can beat anyone. The squad has the potential to be better, but there are circumstances. Things have happened to us like the injuries to Ter Stegen, Pedri, De Jong, Gavi…
“Key injuries for our system. The team has suffered after winning the league with authority. But this squad wasn’t designed to be ten points behind the leaders. I’m busy and worried about the team.”
On missing out on the signing of Lucas Bergvall to Tottenham, he said: “Deco has been following him for a long time and we are awaiting a proposal that the player must accept.
“He has not signed for Tottenham, as far as I know, but they are offering more money than Barça. We have 17-year-old players, they tell us he looks like De Jong, he would play first for Barça Atlètic and we cannot compare ourselves financially with Tottenham.”
On whether Joao Cancelo and Joao Felix will be signed permanently, he added: “Deco is working on both of them continuing.”
Discussing the financial situation at the club, Laporta insisted that they were close to coming out of the difficult period, saying:
“If financial fair play is complied with, this is the end of a phase, which is part of the legacy we have received. We have a budget that, if it is met, will give us profits.
“We have reduced the sporting wage bill by €172 million. The sporting wage bill was 98 percent and now it is 57 percent. To generate fair play, we needed the levers and now we will have more because of our work.”
On the Barça Studios deal and the non-payment of €40 million by Libero, Laporta explained: “We need new income, we need new sponsors, the sale of players also helps. The sale would give us ‘fair play’. Líbero had a good track record, it was listed in Frankfurt, it functioned normally, and the group of this company paid €20 million of the €60 million and there were €40 million left, which they did not pay when it was due.”
Nike deal
Laporta then went on to discuss some of the major topics for which Barcelona have been in the news for of late, starting with the problems with Nike and the potential termination of agreement.
“We have a relationship that is not desirable. We haven’t been re-supplied with material, not everything has been on schedule, and the market pays us twice as much as Nike,” he said.
On whether Puma are going to be the next kit-makers for Barça, he replied: “I can’t name names. There are interpretations about how the contract is broken (until 2028). With Nike we have been with them for more than 20 years and in difficult times they have not come forward.
“We want to find the best solution. There are three options: to stay with Nike, to accept what the market offers us, which would pay us much more, and there is the option of doing it ourselves through Barça Licensing and Merchandising (BLM).”
Negreira case and Real Madrid
On the Negreira case, he said: “We pay for referee reports, not to pay referees. I don’t know Negreira personally. This started in Núñez’s time. We all met him. It was technical and refereeing advice. They can’t prove that they were buying referees. I trust in justice and we will be acquitted.”
Criticising Real Madrid’s position on the Negreira case, he added: “Madrid are not behaving well, they are being cynical in a way that is unacceptable. Judge Joaquín Aguirre has extended the investigation process at the request of Real Madrid, as provided for in the procedure.”
Further criticising Real Madrid TV for pressuring referees, he said: “What Madrid Televisión is doing is a disgrace. If they have any decency, I don’t understand how they do it. The Referees Committee, the Federation, should act.”
“I’ve always been against VAR, you lose spontaneity. If one referee gets it wrong, imagine five or six. I have always said it. The misuse of VAR harms referees. Madrid is one of the most benefited by VAR,” he added.
