Joan Laporta

[serghei]

I am not spoiled at all serghei. I am very aware of the shit situation we are in, when it comes to both financial and sporting and I am not expecting us to compete with the big boys soon. I am adapting very well, albeit painful.

Which has NOTHING to do with my criticism of Laporta and to a lesser degree, Xavi. I can't stand dishonesty and shady stuff, which Laporta represent. He doesn't appear to be a sound leader to turn this club around with all the stuff he said and did. Xavi? I have said, despite the result (that he took the team to the 2nd place), he has displayed nothing and we are playing like shit, plus some of his tendencies and obsessions are very worrisome.

I don't have the rights to criticize the club for not being competitive enough, we are all in this together. However as a fan I have the rights to call out Laporta's (and Xavi's) bullshit.

Come on... This is a bit like playing poker (if you know the game), and being dealt a losing hand that you normally discard pre-flop. He's like having two mediocre cards, like a "7" and some "10" while other teams, Madrid especially, are hiding pocket kings and pocket aces.

He's basically doing the only thing you can do when put in that situation.

I can bet you everything that Laporta and Xavi know very well that the distance between us and Madrid is the biggest it's been since 2009 (only reversed), but as a strategical and pragmatic action, it does nobody no good to just down tools and lament. Nothing will change if you moan and approach things with a destructive mindset. Fans can do that, but leaders can't.

You simply have to go and fight with what you have.

You can call out Laporta and Xavi, but the reality is these guys are being put in a really bad spot and are trying all they can to have us competing. To beat Madrid in these circumstances 4-0 is a fucking miracle.

Fans should be not happy, but EXTREMELY happy with our recovery from 9th to 2nd, having beaten the best sides in the league with probably the best record in the last 20 games.

I really believe we're doing very well all things considered. It's just that fans can't let go of the memory of our superb world-dominating sides.

 

[serghei]

Put yourself in Laporta's and Xavi's shoes. You have no money to sign top players, and the rival that just won the league by 10+ lead, and plays CL final is signing Rudiger and Mbappe. Basically a top 5 CB, and world's best player.

Come on... really?

 

[Luftstalag14]

Come on... This is a bit like playing poker (if you know the game), and being dealt a losing hand that you normally discard pre-flop. He's like having two mediocre cards, like a "7" and some "10" while other teams, Madrid especially, are hiding pocket kings and pocket aces.

He's basically doing the only thing you can do when put in that situation.

I can bet you everything that Laporta and Xavi know very well that the distance between us and Madrid is the biggest it's been since 2009 (only reversed), but as a strategical and pragmatic action, it does nobody no good to just down tools and lament. Nothing will change if you moan and approach things with a destructive mindset. Fans can do that, but leaders can't.

You simply have to go and fight with what you have.

You can call out Laporta and Xavi, but the reality is these guys are being put in a really bad spot and are trying all they can to have us competing. To beat Madrid in these circumstances 4-0 is a fucking miracle.

Fans should be not happy, but EXTREMELY happy with our recovery from 9th to 2nd, having beaten the best sides in the league with probably the best record in the last 20 games.

I really believe we're doing very well all things considered. It's just that fans can't let go of the memory of our superb world-dominating sides.

On the sporting realm I am patient, I can wait as again I don't expect us to win anything anytime soon, however I'd like us to do our homework right and explore other possibilities when it comes to new signings etc., like for example the Brazilian market, instead of being fixated with some old and mediocre Spanish players they want because they are Spanish and because they are free.

My qualm with Laporta is more focusing on the financial and the overall structure of the club and how we have performed a year since he has been in office. Reveter and many professionals left because of Laporta's power grab and cronyism. Most of the pieces Laporta has been working on lately, Barca Studios, BLM etc. were all leftovers from Bartomeu's era and there has been zero new things created by his team and zero new sponsors signed (other than Spotify) and he still keeps bragging like that. I know we are in a different era, Messi is gone, we are not doing great on the field but when lesser clubs like Espanyol are making new deals, let alone Madrid, I strongly suspect the lackluster result on the commercial front has to do with Laporta and the people he chose to lead (the current head of BLM has zero related experience in the field, for example).

 

[vegitot]

I'm not saying it's you. My post is targeted towards posters who do nothing but post negativity and toxicity the moment we're not winning big titles. I know from your posts that you're an actual fan who's even contributed to the club's finances by buying Barca merch (more than what many of us here can say).

We've been a joke in Europe for 5-6 years now, and that's fair game for criticism. I hate a lot of elements about the club right now such as the insistence on dinosaurs like Busquets and Pique and Alba. And insistence on mental midgets like MATS.

But it can be MUCH worse and I suspect for us, it will get worse before it (hopefully) gets better. Last time AC Milan won a big KO tie in CL was some 15 years ago and same with United (12 ish years except that PSG fluke but its PSG). Liverpool were everyone's punching bag for nearly 25 years.

Even clubs we associate with CL "dominance" like RM didn't win that trophy for 32 years straight. And for Bayern, for 25 years.

Yet 3-4 years ago when we dominated domestic league, it was just garbage tittle. Now it suddenly becomes precious and something like "you shouldn't put much pressure on the team" is a thing.

 

[Gari]

Barcelona is the most expensive club in the world!

▪️ Barcelone 4,76 milliards $
▪️ Real Madrid 4,75 milliards $
▪️ Bayern Munich 4,215 milliards $
▪️ Manchester United 4,2 milliards $
▪️ Liverpool 4,1 milliards $
▪️ Manchester City 4 milliards $(Forbes)
Laporta, as befits a politician, exaggerates the damage and blames the previous government.

 

[JamDav1982]

Barca are not as far from Real as is made out.. them getting Mbappe makes it more difficult clearly though.

In first game of season in Barca v Real there was not much in it and that was Barca without Aruajo, Dembele, Pedri, Torres, Auba, Traore in comparison to players that would return/be signed although not all will be at club next season Christensen, Kessie and Torre will improve it and more to come.

Second game v Real in Super Cup.. Barca probably edged it on performance but lost.. then beat them 4-0 in Bernabeu.

Real had much more settled and calm set up from pre season that is bigger difference than overall squad quality and they had the match winner in Benzema.

Even with Mbappe Barca should still be challenging and can make job easier by getting players in that plug the areas of weakness.. above all full back.

Benzema will slow down soon, Vini Jnr almost cant play that same role as last man high up park to break defensive line from left with Mbappe there. Modric/Kroos/Carvajal all slowing down.

The gap is there but not nearly as wide as is being made out.

 

[Barcilliant]

Laporta still thinks the old model can prevail in the new era. He wants a super star striker to be the face of the club similar to the Ronnie era. It ain't gonna happen. We don't have the money or time.
Xavi is just a gamble because he has no vision or idea where he wants to take the club.

 

[Messi983]

Didn't know where to post this.

Ferran Soriano has confirmed to Rac1 that Barca and Man City are working towards playing a friendly at Camp Nou in August. It will be a charity friendly to raise funds for ALS that was first scheduled for last summer.


So basically our preseason is almost set (although I guess it's possible that City game would be played after we'll already play the first league game).

We'll play 4 games on US tour (already confirmed ones against NYRB and Inter Miami while other two will most likely be against RM and Juve). There were also reports a few days ago we'll face AS Roma in the Gamper in early August but nothing official yet. Not sure if we'll try to squeeze another game in there but we usually don't play more than 5-6 preseason games.

 

[Luftstalag14]

Didn't know where to post this.

Ferran Soriano has confirmed to Rac1 that Barca and Man City are working towards playing a friendly at Camp Nou in August. It will be a charity friendly to raise funds for ALS that was first scheduled for last summer.


So basically our preseason is almost set (although I guess it's possible that City game would be played after we'll already play the first league game).

We'll play 4 games on US tour (already confirmed ones against NYRB and Inter Miami while other two will most likely be against RM and Juve). There were also reports a few days ago we'll face AS Roma in the Gamper in early August but nothing official yet. Not sure if we'll try to squeeze another game in there but we usually don't play more than 5-6 preseason games.

Have the games against Madrid and Juventus been confirmed? I thought those two games were in danger of not happening and that's why the club worked with ISL and booked the two games against the MLS sides?

 

[Messi983]

Have the games against Madrid and Juventus been confirmed? I thought those two games were in danger of not happening and that's why the club worked with ISL and booked the two games against the MLS sides?

Not confirmed yet but it's very likely there will be El Clasico in Las Vegas and Juventus game in LA.

https://www.sport.es/en/news/barca/official-barca-announce-first-usa-tour-details-13679540

https://en.as.com/soccer/barcelona-confirm-four-us-summer-games-n

 

[Andresito]

Didn't know where to post this.

Ferran Soriano has confirmed to Rac1 that Barca and Man City are working towards playing a friendly at Camp Nou in August. It will be a charity friendly to raise funds for ALS that was first scheduled for last summer.


So basically our preseason is almost set (although I guess it's possible that City game would be played after we'll already play the first league game).

We'll play 4 games on US tour (already confirmed ones against NYRB and Inter Miami while other two will most likely be against RM and Juve). There were also reports a few days ago we'll face AS Roma in the Gamper in early August but nothing official yet. Not sure if we'll try to squeeze another game in there but we usually don't play more than 5-6 preseason games.

Time to create new thread under match chat "2022 Preseason" dawg. Need it for tomorrow's game already, even if it counts for this season.

 

[DonAK]

Already making tempering expectations

President Laporta: "Future signings? We don't have any support from La Liga. The rules of fair play in Spain are very demanding and restrictive. It's a handicap that we will have to overcome." [via gol]




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[malvolio]

Already making tempering expectations

President Laporta: "Future signings? We don't have any support from La Liga. The rules of fair play in Spain are very demanding and restrictive. It's a handicap that we will have to overcome." [via gol]

Yeah Tebas, let the man unleash his 500M transfer warchest!

 

[Messigician]

He's gone mad and roasting the team

 

[Messigician]

Joan Laporta: "I finished the season pissed off and disappointed. I understand that we had injuries at one point, but losing against Cadiz, Villarreal, and Rayo Vallecano at home causes me to be disappointed at the team's attitude."

Joan Laporta: "I have suffered as much as, if not more, than Xavi about the team's lack of character. It's disappointing that this team never had true leadership at any moment."