Barcelona in need of €26m to be able to sign new playersFC Barcelona needs to become goal machines to win trophies

 

Joan Laporta: "The game against Intercity? I’m happy because Barça got through. The attitude of the players was positive and the match was entertaining. There were moments of suffering, but it was clear to me that we would end up winning."

Laporta: "My wish for the Three Kings Day? I ask the Three Wise Men for titles and goals for Barça. And health for me and my family." 

Laporta: "Lewandwoski's suspension? We accept TAD's ruling. We have always accepted the sports jurisdiction. They gave us a week which we took advantage of to go to the ordinary courts. When the decision has been final, we have accepted it."

Laporta: "Lewandowski will not be able to play against Atlético de Madrid. The sanction seems to me to be exaggerated, but it is logical if we interpret logic strictly."

• Barcelona in need of €26m to be able to sign new players
• FC Barcelona needs to become goal machines to win trophies

Laporta: "Registering Gavi in the first team? We will have to wait until June to resolve this issue, but he is already registered and can play with us." 

Laporta: "I miss Johan Cruyff very much. Yesterday we made a toast in his memory with the Intercity board." 

Laporta: "Our management is quite similar to that of 2003. The magnitudes are different, but I remember that in my first term we arrived at a difficult economic moment. The situation I found in my second tenure reminded me a lot of what it was two decades ago."

Laporta: "We are working hard to adjust the fair play, but I'm satisfied because our cash flow has stabilised, our equity is positive, our rating is stabilised... We just have to finish tweaking the wage bill."

Laporta: "We want as many titles as possible, but we want La Liga. We have fluid conversations with Xavi, we talk about everything. We are focused on winning La Liga, this is the priority objective. We have the team to achieve it." 

Laporta: "The January transfer window? There will be no movement unless there is an unexpected opportunity. We did the necessary work in the summer and the coach is happy. We have the squad to have a chance of winning titles this season."

Laporta: "Rumors of PSG interested in Dembélé? He's not for sale. We will deal with his renewal when the time comes, he is one of the most important players in the team. Whenever he plays, he's always outstanding. Yesterday he scored a magnificent goal." 

Laporta: "Reducing the wage bill? There are players who are not continuing and this helps. The players who are joining are doing so within certain limits. This is allowing the club to be stabilised and balanced."

Laporta: "Pushing for wage cuts on players like Frenkie de Jong and Ter Stegen? We will not do anything with the inherited contracts. We will respect them." 

Laporta: "We are very happy with Frenkie and Ter Stegen. Neither of them is for sale. Frenkie is a big name, several clubs are interested in him, but he's not for sale."

Laporta: "Busquets' future? He is our captain and we are delighted with him at all levels. On the day of the match against Real Betis he will have played 700 games, he told me this morning." 

Laporta: "Busquets has proposals from the United States and I know he was thinking about it, but in principle he will continue with us until the end of the season. We'll talk in the summer, but I think he's still got time." 

Laporta: "At the moment, in order to be able to sign with the 1:1 rule, we would have to obtain an income of €26m. This is the amount that has been attributed to us as losses after the elimination from the Champions League."

Laporta: "If we reach the final of the Europa League, for example, we would get €21m. If we add the friendlies, for example, we would already have it."

Laporta: "We have recovered our prestige and there are investors, sponsors, and clubs interested in organising Barça matches. We will arrive in June with the possibility of signing with the 1:1 rule." 

Laporta: "It is not true that we cannot activate more 'levers': we can sell other assets that do not generate recurring income. I'm not saying that we are going to do it, we don't need them at the moment, but we have the possibility. Our cash flow is stabilised."

Laporta: "We have an offer of €320m for 49% of BLM, but we have not accepted it because we do not need the money. The situation is under control" 

Laporta: "Next season we will play in Montjuïc and we will have less income. We will compensate in other ways." 

Laporta: "Ansu Fati is not for sale." 

Laporta: "We won't pay €80m for Bernardo Silva. Haaland? We’ll see how he does at City, we have Lewandowski who is doing very well at the moment." 

Laporta: "Messi's departure? I had to put Barça ahead of the best player in the history of football. In those moments of economic ruin I couldn't keep him. I think it was the best thing for the club." 

Laporta: "Right now Messi is a PSG player and I prefer not to talk about him. We are focused on Barça."

Laporta: "Messi will always be part of our shield and I would like him to have a different ending to the one he had. There are several options, but I would be wrong if I mentioned them. We have a relationship." 

Laporta: "The World Cup final? If Argentina won, I would be happy for Messi; if France won, for Dembele and Kounde. Leo deserved the World Cup."

Laporta: "Piqué becoming the Barça president in the future? If he wants to, he will be president of Barça in the future. Our relationship is excellent." 

Laporta: "Balde's renewal? It's going well. There is a good relationship with his agent, Jorge Mendes. He wants to continue at Barça and we have everything in place."

Laporta: "Ruben Neves? He is a great player, but this is part of private conversations. Busquets will not last forever and there are internal discussions to find a replacement for him. Frenkie de Jong can play in this position, but it won't be enough with just one player."

Laporta: "If everything goes as planned, Barça will return to Camp Nou in November 2024, with 70% capacity, and the Espai Barça project will be completed in June 2026." 

Laporta: "The Super League? In March or April we will have the CJEU ruling. The Super League will be an open competition. I would not have entered into this project if the competition was not open." 

Laporta: "We want the governance to belong to the clubs. If the resolution is favourable, I think the Super League will be a reality in 2025. I think at first the English clubs will not be present, but we want them to be present."

Laporta: "Javier Tebas? Our personal relationship has never been bad, but it has been tense. I think he should be more concerned about recovering audiences or increasing revenue, and less about disqualifying clubs."

🔹️Did you cry when Messi won the World Cup?

Laporta: "Yes, I was moved. It was very important for Leo."