Laporta, ambitious in the League and Champions: “This is not a fantasy. We can dream”

Joan Laporta spoke to Mundo Deportivo in an extensive and juicy exclusive interview of which we offer a preview this Thursday evening. Tomorrow the first part will be complete in our digital and printed edition and the second will be published in this Saturday’s edition. The president of FC Barcelona spoke for a long time about the team’s options to win the Champions League and the Liga, highlighting that they exist and they are not his dream. He also revealed that he wants Xavi to continue, reversing his decision to leave at the end of the season. Furthermore, he predicts problems in Madrid if they sign Mbappé, so he does not envy the white club. And if that’s not enough, he’s sending a warning to Nike: he wants the best contract on the market for the Barça shirt and the American firm isn’t giving it to him at the moment.

President Laporta, how are you? As good as Barça?

I am good, very encouraged, very hopeful, working very hard to achieve what we set for this year, which is not easy. I am referring to the sports level. This is not fantasy. Now, I think we can say that, in short, this whole process followed by this team leads us to dream as the coach said. It’s a fantasy that can come true.

Is there a League?

Of course. There is a League and there are Champions

Did you expect this at the start of the season?

Yes.

He was one of the few who believed.

Well, I’m not the only one. Many believe. I think it has to be seen to be believed. If you are in football, you have to believe in your possibilities, that the work you do will pay off and I ask those who don’t believe, those who are afraid because sometimes it is dizzying to win. , they are the disasters, the ones who are not interested in us winning, please, let them go away, be calm. I respect them all, absolutely, but let them work and let’s dream, because this is football and it is very difficult for a football club of the Barça entity to achieve its goals. Nothing is easy. What is needed is also work. Never throw in the towel because you know that in our club we always fight to the end for all the competitions we participate in and that is part of our competitive essence. We now have a level of demand, fortunately, we are not allowed to throw in the towel mid-season. In football, we all know that it has been a long time in this sport that the season is very long. A team like ours is in formation, because we have included young people who have a lot of present, but above all have a bright future. It provides security to the entity for the future. Everything needs its maturation process. Deco did a great job creating this template and Xavi directed it well. And that’s where I ask those of us who don’t believe to work and dream.

He talks about what they are doing to stop Barça from winning.

We have enemies, opponents and people who defend the interests of other clubs. And I’m not involved in that. I’m talking about those who fear the possibility of winning. It’s very culé at times. But I ask the catastrophists and the unbelievers to let us work, which is what we do. I insist, let’s dream. We are dreaming of something that is not a fantasy, that is now reality. We are in the quarterfinals of the Champions League with a very tough tie against PSG. Coming home is good for us. Our team is super motivated today. More and more young people are, in some ways, assuming a more leading role. Those who are more experienced do it in a synchronized way. The locker room becomes stronger, more coordinated and has clear goals. Let’s work. We will fight to win. In the end we can win or lose but at least we will experience a great moment in the history of Barça, a quarter-final of the Champions League, and we hope to get to the semi-finals. Then let’s continue the conversation. The league? is there We are eight points away. Madrid’s flattery isn’t over yet, but we haven’t thrown in the towel yet, which is why we’re in second place. We are in a position that allows us to follow the leader

What has changed since Xavi announced he will be leaving the club at the end of the season? The environment seemed to relax and the locker room became more united.

The truth is that when Xavi told us that he decided not to continue but wanted to finish the season, we accepted it for being Xavi and who he is. This is not common in football, but I think we can make this exception with Xavi. And we also participated in making sure that Xavi, who is a legend of our club, did not end his efforts in the middle of the season. I saw him wanting to finish the season. And he, who also has a lot of experience in the Barça locker room, said: ‘I will also be freed from a pressure that I feel now and I am convinced that the players will be freed because some are very young. This creates pressure that they are not used to and they become stiff. So we think it can be better. This is apart from the injuries because we experienced the death of Frenkie, who was injured twice, Gavi, whose strong character was missed by the team because he spreads enthusiasm, determination and strength, Balde, we hope to be back him before the end of the year , Marcos, Ter Stegen from behind… These are deaths that happen to all teams and in some way they are made up for better or worse depending on what you have. Xavi does it well and sometimes against the current, against public opinion, because here it is clear and normal that everyone has an opinion in football. But for me, the most important of all are the professionals and Xavi is a professional and Deco is a professional. And Deco keeps telling me from the beginning that we have a great squad, that sooner or later the talent will emerge from this squad. It’s not just the talent, but also the fact that the team is more assembled, more united, with more automation. Everyone knows what they’re playing and getting older over time. I am very happy with the work of Xavi, the staff, Deco and his team.