Joan Laporta assures that Barça has been saved from all the threats that loomed over the entity. The president has detailed in the Assembly of Committers the factors that have recovered the club from a sporting, economic and institutional point of view, in addition to ensuring that the Negreira case will be settled with the absolution judicial “sooner rather than later” and “will come to nothing.
A case that, Laporta stressed, is activated and promoted by “sociological Madridismo” that is “inserted in all areas of power”, from political and financial power to sports and media power. The Barça leader links the “resurgence” of attacks to his return to the presidency.
“Barça only has us, the Barcelona fans,” says Laporta, demanding unity with the culés
The parallel with 2003-10
“In my first stage we already competed against that sociological Madridismo and we won,” he said, through “the titles we won and the admiration we generated for how we played.”
In his opinion, this white current establishes “a parallel” with the return “of the president who made them suffer” and the presence of Xavi Hernández, “the best midfielder in the world then, now acting as coach”, to which is added the new batch of grassroots football (Araujo, Pedri, Balde, Lamine Yamal… Laporta listed) that is assimilated to the homegrown players of that time.
Laporta described “a plot perpetrated to destabilize us,” which also seeks to “stain the history of Barça” while insinuating desires “of some to control the club and, if this happens, they destroy one of the three references in Catalonia, they will do well.” Faced with this attack, the president appealed to “the union” of all the culés: “Barça only has us, the Barcelona fans.”
“Together we have saved the club despite the obstacles that come from outside, from people and organizations that attack us for being who we are and representing what we represent. They attack us because we are doing well again, better sportingly, and much, much better economically compared to when we arrived,” said Laporta.
“The Negreira case is a plot perpetrated to destabilize us and, if in the process they destroy one of the three leaders of Catalonia, things are going well for them”
Account benefits
Barça has presented to the Committers an economic exercise of 304 million profits accumulated during the 2022-23 season and puts to vote a budget of 850 million for 23-24 with a future profit of 11 million.
The wage bill has gone from 98% of the budget in 2020-21 to 57% in 22-23
In his speech, Laporta recalled the historic achievement “unprecedented in the world of sport” of winning the six leagues of the six professional sections, to which he added the Women’s Champions League. The merit, in her opinion, increases because they have been obtained in full cost cutting, with a wage bill which occupied “98% of the budget” for fiscal year 20-21 and 57% for fiscal year 22-23.
The accumulated spending over the years had raised the debt to 1,350 million, which has been reduced “to less than 1,200 million,” according to Eduard Romeu, the economic vice president. Thanks to the cut in sports expenses and the increase in income, in which the increase in stadium and commercial box office becomes relevant, which represents 14% more compared to the last campaign, “but 8% more than the 18-19 season , which is the reference for being the last pre-covid,” Laporta noted.
Not even 10% participation
The assembly began at 10 in the morning on second call and, as expected, participation was very low. They had been accredited 417 delegates out of a total of 4,451 people summoned, which does not even reach 10% participation (there were 571 members one hour later and 644 two hours later).
Laporta alluded to the format of the telematic assembly as the “most economical, most participatory and most universal” formula. Only the members of the board were present in the Auditori – Ferran Olivé, the treasurer, joined shortly after the start to occupy the last of the 18 chairs -, the senators (the oldest members), the presidents of committees and employees.