Joan Laporta: “The competition is adulterated”

Joan Laporta caught all eyes at the grand gala World of sports. The president of Barça decided to raise his voice to complain about the decisions of VAR within Real Madrid-Almeria, a controversy that went worldwide because of the biased comments of the referee who reviewed the pictures in the VOR room and how he persuaded the main referee to change his decisions, all of which were ultimately in favor of white team. After the gala, Reporter He returned to Mundo Deportivo to expand on the reasons why he decided to publicly protest and even raise a Formal complaint to the president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), Pedro Rochin. Below is a preview of this interview which you can read in full tomorrow in the paper edition of MD and on the website.

Do you think the Federation should act on this matter? Because the pressure is through Real Madrid Television, an official media outlet of the club.

completely. This is what I told the president of the Spanish Federation. The Technical Committee of Referees depends on the Spanish Federation. He told me that the past is the past and they plan to act on it. He also told me that referees do not feel pressure, he wanted to reassure me in this regard. I have full respect for the referee team. I’ve said it and I’ve said it without a crack. But we also see some situations that worry us a lot and if it continues, it will be very difficult for us to achieve our goals. Our coach Xavi has already said. In the squad, the players are doing a very good job, overcoming a series of obstacles. Football is epic, stories of overcoming, consistency. I think they are working in this direction. We are working well. I’m sure the results will be seen on the field in terms of the game, as well as in terms of results. But of course, the competition can no longer be mixed with decisions like it was made last Sunday at the Bernabéu.

Do you think the competition has grown up?

Man, with these results yes, because not just this Sunday. We are looking into the issue and there is already a series of points that our rival has achieved by benefiting from the referee’s decisions. Now, I also have to say that we are used to this, huh? We are always against the elements, we know what they are. But this time they were too obvious and that is why our formal complaint to the Federation. Above all, I am worried about the morale of our players, because at the end of the Benito Villamarín game, where we played a great game and we are proud of how it went because the goals were scored, I saw the players who are worried about what happened at the Bernabéu. And of course, as a club, we have to act on this. I am a president who does not hide in dealing with situations and I think I have to raise my voice in this case because I see an injustice and when we see this injustice we oppose it and we want those who have the responsibility to solve this issue. take action on the matter, and make decisions to correct it

Of the actions you’ve seen and re-referred by VAR, which surprised you the most?

Apart from the fact that two Madrid goals were conceded, the first by a foul and the other by a great Zamora, in the disallowed goal against Almería I saw Bellingham grab the opposing player’s shirt. There is one detail that for those of us who have played football I think is illustrative: when Bellingham is on the ground he looks at the referee, as if to say “let’s see if I fouled him or not.” And then the play went on and it was a legal goal for me.