Joan Laporta (Barcelona, ??61 years old) appears punctually first thing in the morning at the Camp Nou offices. There are numerous questions about which to ask him, some tricky ones, but the president of FC Barcelona never lacked conviction and energy to face them. Economy, football, Messi, guarantees, sections, cuts, Espai Barça, Qatar… Another president would shrink, but Laporta affirms that directing this huge club is “easier than you think”. He doesn’t even shy away from talking about his health. “I have rope for a while,” he warns.
You returned to the presidency in March 2021. In July 2023, is the club better or worse than you imagined?
The club is better off economically, sportingly, socially and institutionally. But the situation we are in is derived from the legacy we received.
What worries you most about the economic situation?
It doesn’t worry me, it occupies me. When we arrived it was critical, but we were able to react and we saved the club from bankruptcy. We started the recovery by restructuring the debt and the situation of the levers occurred that allowed us to return to profit for the first time in many years.
Without the lever effect there would be no profit. Is there a lack of self-criticism to recognize that it is difficult for the club to generate them?
I am self-critical whatever it takes, but I do not agree. Despite the fact that it is difficult to earn income, the club will obtain a record of sponsorships this season and when we close the accounts it will be verified. For next year we already have 95% of the sponsorship budget covered. The club is very attractive for investors and sponsors, they believe in our history and in the Barcelona sentiment.
You are very optimistic.
We are in a moment that we must make the most of. We have won the women’s Champions League, the League with Xavi… This is generating a very good inertia, we have recovered our joy. We have proposals from the United States, the Persian Gulf and Mexico to play friendly matches that can generate significant income for us. In basketball we are negotiating with the Lakers… We will come out of the tunnel.
You said Persian Gulf. But wasn’t the evil one a country like Qatar according to his values?
I no longer want to go back in time, but what I said was that I did not agree with the Qatar Foundation when it was said that it was like the Unicef ??of the Persian Gulf. This I found a gross barbarity.
What is your recent trip to Qatar for?
We are trying to recover the economy of the club and there are some markets in which we cannot stop working. Qatar has just organized a World Cup. They want to invest. I traveled because some board mates met a businessman from Qatar who was interested in doing things with Barça.
Do the values ??change when one is inside?
No, no and no, I still maintain the same, but I am also an open person and it is evident that in these countries there are some open movements in terms of gender equality rights.
Who earns more, they washing their image or Barça?
Barça obtains financial resources and for them it is interesting. Sport is a way to confirm opening moves.
You also have to reduce spending.
We know that our surplus comes as a consequence of levers, that is, it is not an operating surplus, which is why we are reducing spending and we are achieving it.
Has the feasibility plan not been applied late?
Even if LaLiga had not imposed it on us, we would have applied it. It is a very strict and aggressive plan, which helps us to register players and improve financial fair play. From the beginning we knew that the sports wage bill was exceeded. Everything fits in with the strategic plan and the business plan so that the first team is more competitive.
Víctor Font does not agree with his perception of the economic situation. He maintains that today his inheritance would be worse than Bartomeu’s.
There each one with their opinion, which I respect, but it is not true. He will know why he says so, but those of us who are running the club know that it is much better than two years ago despite the obstacles. The club will pick up cruising speed next year.
There is a group of partners who have filed a complaint about their financing plan. Does your opinion matter?
Of course I care. In fact, we have already channeled everything through the Economic Commission. The economic vice president has had contact with all of them, but I think they are misinformed or misinformed.
Is it normal at this point that the board still has to guarantee six million? Is it improvised?
It is that the magnitude of the tragedy was enormous when we arrived. Debt and ten years of negative operating results are not fixed in one, two or three years. We have made a crash plan.
The levers…
A part of some assets has been sold for a certain period of time and also at a very good price. And this has allowed us to return to a surplus, repay debt and gain financial credibility to achieve investments.
They have closed Barça TV, a highly controversial measure.
It gives losses of 12 million each year that we do not have to bear; It doesn’t make any economic or informative sense. It is poorly organized, uses outdated and very expensive material, and, as we are, we have to opt for other solutions that technology allows us to do. I am pleased that Telefónica has reached an agreement with the workers, who are very valid. I think we have made the right decision beyond the pain and anguish we have had to unblock the situation.
There is a lot of talk about the club ownership model. In fact, you included it in a member survey.
The club tries to ask everything to find out how Barcelona is doing, and given the news that appears in the media, some of whom are obsessed with turning the club into a public limited company, we did so.
What is your opinion?
Thinking about transforming the club into SA is a big mistake. The opinion of the members is determining, decisive and binding for me, and fortunately they think like me, they want to continue owning the club. As long as I am president, Barça will belong to its partners.
And a hybrid formula like the German one?
I don’t like. Our government model is a differential fact, it belongs to our history. The competitions that are organized are organized.
By the way, the Super League has come to nothing.
We are there, resisting like the last of the Philippines for the good of soccer. We must wait for the ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union this July. I am convinced that it will be favourable, and from there we have to establish a dialogue with UEFA.
Don’t you think that a single president cannot take on all these issues? Why doesn’t he appoint another CEO?
Everything will come, but we are still in a phase in which I think the club requires this model of governance and management. The situation requires vigilance.
You send a lot.
We have a very horizontal organization. My daily struggle is to generate cooperation between the different areas. Each area director is performing the functions of a general manager in his field of competence and we dispatch weekly. Everything is under control and I fully dedicate myself. I am also lucky that the economic vice president is now practically full-time. Until we have that peace of mind and positive operating results, we will be there.
It is very complex. Barça is like a multinational.
If each of the club’s estates assumes its role, it is not difficult to lead and preside over Barça. It’s about being a little positive, optimistic and working.
The formula has served to convince UEFA. Barça will play the Champions League next year.
I was convinced that this would be the case and I am happy. I trusted my nose and had information. The opposite did not make sense, it was to condemn a club before judging it.
