The appointment of Joan Laporta at the Vanguard Forums in Barcelona highlighted the complex institutional relationship that exists between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid and underlines the symbolism that both clubs have in Spanish football. According to La Vanguardia, Laporta stated that “Real Madrid represents power and Barça represents freedom”, positioning the Catalan club in an area of independence compared to the power dynamic he identifies with its main rival. This approach emerged in a forum in which the President of Barça addressed important questions regarding the management and current direction of the institution, in particular the progress of the work on the new Camp Nou and the red lines surrounding the presidency.
Laporta stressed during the event that the schedule for the completion of the new Camp Nou stadium will not change due to external or media pressure, as the company gives absolute priority to safety and the trust it places in its partners. According to La Vanguardia, the work maintains its pace thanks to a work schedule structured in three daily shifts, which allows the planned deadlines to be met. This message of respect for institutional commitments was reinforced in response to areas of the football and media environment that have questioned the project’s timeline and priorities.
In his speech, Laporta also alluded to the debate over the duration of his mandate, explaining that his durability at the helm of the club depends only on strict compliance with the statutes and the times established in the internal regulations. As La Vanguardia reports, the president flatly rejected the possibility of changing the rules to extend his term in office, distinguishing his actions from those of political leaders who have adapted the law to remain in office. Laporta directly cited the examples of Vladimir Putin and Nicolás Maduro and assured that the future elections for the presidency of FC Barcelona will be aligned with the dates already set and will try not to affect football performance in the institutional transition period.
In the same scenario, Laporta reflected on the evolution of his relationship with Florentino Pérez, the current president of Real Madrid. The Catalan leader explained, as La Vanguardia detailed, that in its first phase there was a much more confrontational atmosphere, but currently “institutional harmony” prevails, although obvious differences remain. Laporta pointed out that Florentino Pérez maintains a relevant proximity to the power circles in Spain, while Barça is linked by geographical affinity in Catalonia, but emphasized the different roles that the clubs play in the institutional landscape.
Regarding the situation in LaLiga and his presidency, Laporta addressed the context surrounding Javier Tebas. According to La Vanguardia, the Blaugrana president described his relationship with Tebas as correct and based on mutual respect for the word given. Laporta explained that he did not agree with those who favored the dismissal of the Spanish professional league leader, attributing this pressure to the Real Madrid environment, which he said showed the intersection of interests at the top of the national game. “I don’t trust those who want to remove him. We know that the relationship we have built with him is good. They want to kick him out of Madrid, I see that the White House is obsessed with it. The relations with Tebas are correct,” emphasized Laporta, according to La Vanguardia during the day.
A relevant section of the intervention was dedicated to the way Real Madrid uses its media platforms, particularly its television channel. La Vanguardia reported that Laporta accused this communication tool of influencing public opinion and trying to delegitimize Barça’s sporting successes in recent years. Laporta expressed that “they tried to obscure the best Barça in history” and directly referred to the Madrid club’s use of the Negreira case. In return, the Catalan president defended the need to have arbitration advisory services in previous periods, clarifying that the payments made were always lawful and that there was no intention to influence the development of the Games. According to La Vanguardia, Laporta denied the allegations made in the case and stressed that the reputation of the club and its executives had been affected by what he considered to be biased treatment of the matter in the media.
The president also referred to the club’s financial situation and its maneuverability in the transfer market. According to La Vanguardia, Laporta explained that FC Barcelona currently has sufficient resources to hire outstanding reinforcements and appreciated the variety of financial formulas available thanks to the credibility that the club has regained in recent years. However, Laporta defended the idea that the club’s strength lies in the collective and not necessarily in the collection of big individual stars. He pointed out that internal balance is the club’s top priority, although he does not rule out important investments if they are deemed necessary to strengthen the squad, citing examples where the presence of several high-profile figures has not been beneficial.
In his presentation, Laporta outlined the institutional and sporting roadmap of the current board, paying particular attention to scrupulously respecting internal rules and not manipulating them for personal gain. According to monitoring carried out by La Vanguardia, the president wanted to highlight the uniqueness of FC Barcelona’s management model compared to other major Spanish football companies and stressed the importance of maintaining institutional autonomy in the face of external pressures and the prevailing logic of power in professional sports.
During his participation in the Vanguard Forums, Laporta conveyed the message that the actions and decisions of the current board are aimed at protecting the identity and historical independence of the club and ensuring its future viability at both a sporting and economic level. In this way, the president explained how the club’s planning is expressed in the context of the challenges linked both to the reconstruction of the Camp Nou and to the complex relationships that characterize the national football environment.