Said S Yande
JF-Expert Member
- Mar 16, 2013
- 879
- 652
Former Barcelona president
Joan Laporta has confirmed he
will run in next month's
presidential election, when he
will be one of favourites to take
the top job at the Spanish and
European champions.
"As you all know, I am standing
in the (July 18) Barca election,"
Laporta, speaking in Catalan, said
in a video published on Tuesday.
"I am doing it so I can achieve
the aim of making Barca a club
for everyone again," added the
52-year-old. "I have the
experience."
A lawyer and pro-Catalan
independence politician who
was president between 2003
and 2010, Laporta will provide
stiff competition to fellow
frontrunner Josep Maria
Bartomeu.
Laporta is close to former Barca
player and coach Johan Cruyff
and a firm supporter of the
club's policy of bringing players
through from the academy into
the first team.
Bartomeu stepped up from vice
president in January 2014 after
Sandro Rosell resigned amid
allegations of tax fraud in the
deal to sign Brazil forward
Neymar.
The next election was due to be
held in 2016 but Bartomeu
decided midway through this
season to bring it forward by a
year amid growing unrest
among fans over the
management of the club and
following the dismissal of
sporting director Andoni
Zubizarreta.
The former Barca and Spain
goalkeeper paid the price for a
FIFA ban on signings for two
windows over a breach of rules
on the transfer of foreign
Under-18 players.
Barcelona went on to have a
prolific second half to the
campaign and Bartomeu will
hope the treble of Champions
League, La Liga and King's Cup
titles will help sway the voters.
Laporta won the loyalty of many
of Barca's members, who jointly
own the club, when he
appointed Pep Guardiola coach
in 2008 and Barca went on to
become the first Spanish club to
win the treble in his first season
in charge.
Toni Freixa, a former club
spokesman, Jordi Farre and
Agusti Benedito have also
declared their candidacies but
have little chance of winning.
Joan Laporta has confirmed he
will run in next month's
presidential election, when he
will be one of favourites to take
the top job at the Spanish and
European champions.
"As you all know, I am standing
in the (July 18) Barca election,"
Laporta, speaking in Catalan, said
in a video published on Tuesday.
"I am doing it so I can achieve
the aim of making Barca a club
for everyone again," added the
52-year-old. "I have the
experience."
A lawyer and pro-Catalan
independence politician who
was president between 2003
and 2010, Laporta will provide
stiff competition to fellow
frontrunner Josep Maria
Bartomeu.
Laporta is close to former Barca
player and coach Johan Cruyff
and a firm supporter of the
club's policy of bringing players
through from the academy into
the first team.
Bartomeu stepped up from vice
president in January 2014 after
Sandro Rosell resigned amid
allegations of tax fraud in the
deal to sign Brazil forward
Neymar.
The next election was due to be
held in 2016 but Bartomeu
decided midway through this
season to bring it forward by a
year amid growing unrest
among fans over the
management of the club and
following the dismissal of
sporting director Andoni
Zubizarreta.
The former Barca and Spain
goalkeeper paid the price for a
FIFA ban on signings for two
windows over a breach of rules
on the transfer of foreign
Under-18 players.
Barcelona went on to have a
prolific second half to the
campaign and Bartomeu will
hope the treble of Champions
League, La Liga and King's Cup
titles will help sway the voters.
Laporta won the loyalty of many
of Barca's members, who jointly
own the club, when he
appointed Pep Guardiola coach
in 2008 and Barca went on to
become the first Spanish club to
win the treble in his first season
in charge.
Toni Freixa, a former club
spokesman, Jordi Farre and
Agusti Benedito have also
declared their candidacies but
have little chance of winning.
