Joan Laporta

[KingLeo10]

Even in the Guardiola Barca era, Madrid were pretty strong after the 08/09 season. By 09/10 they almost won the league, 10/11 they fought with Barca tooth and nail and then by the time 11/12 rolled about they were stronger still.

After Guardiola left, we basically had the genius of Messi keeping us ahead but also meant the club really rested on it's laurels at trying to maintain it's position of superiority.

They had the finances to spend 250 million that summer after the 08-09 beatdown (6-2 at their stadium and our treble). 250 million in those days is like 750 million today.

 

[fergus90]

They had the finances to spend 250 million that summer after the 08-09 beatdown (6-2 at their stadium and our treble). 250 million in those days is like 750 million today.

That's true but Perez learned a lot from the mistakes of his first presidency in terms of player recruitment. Whereas we went the opposite way and basically did a beginners guide to wasting millions.

 

[serghei]

And Florentino didn't catch the crazy inflation era. From Figo in 2001 to Ronaldo in 2009 the prices almost stagnated.

 

[KingLeo10]

500 M wasted on Coutinho, Dembele, and Griezmann is an all time disaster class. Only Barto could pull that off

 

[serghei]

500 M wasted on Coutinho, Dembele, and Griezmann is an all time disaster class. Only Barto could pull that off

We're laughing but it is going to cost us a full decade.

 

[khaled_a_d]

Even in the Guardiola Barca era, Madrid were pretty strong after the 08/09 season. By 09/10 they almost won the league, 10/11 they fought with Barca tooth and nail and then by the time 11/12 rolled about they were stronger still.

After Guardiola left, we basically had the genius of Messi keeping us ahead but also meant the club really rested on it's laurels at trying to maintain it's position of superiority.

I mean, they were strong and yet they had only 1 Cdr to celebrate in Pep 2nd and 3rd year.

After that it was the Rosell effect, the twerking for Neymar and preparing his deal 2 years prior, signing Cesc while thinking he is Xavi vol2, getting Alexis thinking he is elite. Not bringing a proper CB while passing the chance to get T.Silva, a severe decline in La Masia while they cared more about Barca B doing well in 2nd division rather than developing players, overpaying for a player like Song, undermining SD, firing him because they are clueless, changing SD every year after 2014. It was a total circus tbh and the club has nothing but itself to blame.

 

[serghei]

I mean, they were strong and yet they had only 1 Cdr to celebrate in Pep 2nd and 3rd year.

After that it was the Rosell effect, the twerking for Neymar and preparing his deal 2 years prior, signing Cesc while thinking he is Xavi vol2, getting Alexis thinking he is elite. Not bringing a proper CB while passing the chance to get T.Silva, a severe decline in La Masia while they cared more about Barca B doing well in 2nd division rather than developing players, overpaying for a player like Song, undermining SD, firing him because they are clueless, changing SD every year after 2014. It was a total circus tbh and the club has nothing but itself to blame.

Good summary.

But the long list of problems includes some more things. Even the clownery of MSN got out of hand quickly.

 

[jamrock]

I can't believe we signed song 😂

 

[DonAK]

I can't believe we signed song 😂

To play CB.

 

[jamrock]

To play CB.

🤦🤦

 

[Porque]

It's as if we saw Emmanual Petit at centreback and thought " how can we do that again".

 

[khaled_a_d]

I can't believe we signed song 😂

Frankly, I think he was decent player.
But he was a CM capable of being an emergency DM He was a bit of a Kessie level of player in those roles, but we wanted him to be CB/DM
It was one of our early deals where we were obsessed with players who can cover multiple positions, but end up not being able to cover any of them because of an awful fit.
A tale that almost exclusively ended up badly for us and the players.

 

[Porque]

Frankly, I think he was decent player.
But he was a CM capable of being an emergency DM He was a bit of a Kessie level of player in those roles, but we wanted him to be CB/DM
It was one of our early deals where we were obsessed with players who can cover multiple positions, but end up not being able to cover any of them because of an awful fit.
A tale that almost exclusively ended up badly for us and the players.

To be honest, I think he was awful and never going to fit.

But we were at such a technical level at that time that signings like Hleb and Song looked poor. They would both be way more impactful if signed today.

 

[Messigician]

Apparently his friends are worried about his health and he has a drug problem that he disguises with eye drops.

Not sure how true all this is but obviously isn’t good publicity for the club when his ex best f friend is saying this stuff

 

[Messigician]

Frankly, I think he was decent player.
But he was a CM capable of being an emergency DM He was a bit of a Kessie level of player in those roles, but we wanted him to be CB/DM
It was one of our early deals where we were obsessed with players who can cover multiple positions, but end up not being able to cover any of them because of an awful fit.
A tale that almost exclusively ended up badly for us and the players.

@Fabregas @ArdaTuran @Coutinho @griezmann