A few months after being selected as Barcelona president for the second time, Joan Laporta claimed that he knew that the situation with the club was bad, but that the didn’t know it as that bad. Well, it’s safe to say that come August 16th, the situation is even worse than we he gave that statement. The Catalonians lost their best player Lionel Messi on a free transfer, the club a stunning debt of 174 billion Ksh, and they were allowed to register three out of their five new players just hours before the first match, due to Gerrard Pique’s wage slash. 🗨 @JoanLaportaFCB: ❝Our salaries represent 103% of the Club’s total income. That’s 20-25% more than our competitors.❞ pic.twitter.com/8e1pV3tBRX— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) August 16, 2021 In a press conference organized by the club, Laporta was talking in detail about the wage structure, loans, debts, the state of the club’s affairs, former president’s Bartomeu’s letter and off course, Leo Messi. “We have losses of 468 million and we have already presented them to La Liga. The direct impact linked to Covid-19 is 91 million euros. Net negative of around 451 million euros. It forced us to work to show our creditors that the club is viable. We had to show credibility. A wage bill represents 103% percent of the club’s total income. It represents 20-25 percent more than our competitors” said Laporta. ELCHE – ATHLETIC BILBAOWhen the new management arrived at the Camp Nou and opened the financial books, they found out the true state of affairs. “The first thing we had to do when we arrived was to ask for a loan of 80 million euros because otherwise, we could not pay the salaries. We also found that we had to do some urgent repairs to the Camp Nou because otherwise, it posed a risk to the attending fans. We also found out that the club had already received 50% of the TV rights fees in advance. We found the wage policy in the form of an inverted pyramid. Veterans had long contracts and youngsters had short contracts. We have found that disproportionate payments have been made to intermediaries, not even agents” explained the president. The poisonous triangle between Barca’s president, players and fans after Messi’s departurePlayers wages have been reduced due to Covid-19 pandemic, but now they are asked for another slash, while the fans accuse them of not wanting to do so, which is one of the reason Messi left. Laporta thanked them once again and confirmed Alba’s statement. “We are satisfied, and I want to thank Pique for his willingness, Pique is not only a soccer player, he is a club player, he has done an act that is very admirable and that not everyone does and has allowed register players. About Jordi Alba, he’s right, we contacted his agent on March 24 and they talked about this issue, and on July 8 he received a letter. I understand the players, we are in a dramatic situation and we have to look for situations of this type and everyone is behaving very well. They will do an act of service to the club and when we can we will reward it” said Barca’s president. ❝I’d like to call on all Barça fans and the entire Club to be united … With football and unity, I’m convinced this era will be full of success.❞ — President @JoanLaportaFCB pic.twitter.com/5gx4egVX71— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) August 16, 2021 Laporta blamed the former president Josep Maria Bartomeu for the current problems. Bartomeu recently penned a letter to his successors explaining the decisions he took. Laporta dismissed it as “full of lies”.“To say that we have forgiven 16 million is a lie. I want to remember that the Neymar case did a lot of damage to the image of Barça . Bartomeu’s board made a shameful and interested pact with the Prosecutor’s Office in which the club was condemned and Rosell and Bartomeu were exonerated. What we have done, with four crossed lawsuits with Neymar, is that each of the parties waived the lawsuits and ended the risks. I think it is a convenient agreement” said Laporta. Busquets and Alba to follow Pique’s unselfish last-ditch salary cutOff course, the Messi question had to pop-up and Laporta was ready for it. “On his presentation with PSG I had contradictory feelings, like all Barca fans. I would have preferred to see him at Barca although I am convinced that we have made the right decision because the institution is above all. Messi is the best player in the world and has his aspirations, as is normal, and had offers, as has been seen, from clubs willing to pay significant amounts. They were negotiations that we both expected to bear fruit and it did not happen, and there is a mutual dislike. Personally I still have the same esteem that I had for him. It was a pity that it did not end as we wanted” explained Laporta.
