Joan Laporta, elected president of FC Barcelona, has responded forcefully to recent statements made by Florentino Pérez, president of Real Madrid, during an event held at the Club de Golf Barcelona. In the context of the sixth edition of the charity tournament Koeman’s Cup, Laporta described Pérez's claims regarding the Negreira case as "falsehoods" and accused the Madrid leader of using this issue as a "smoke screen" to divert attention from the sporting failures of the white club over the past two years.
Reactions to the club conflict
The controversy intensified following the press conference where Pérez announced the calling of elections at Real Madrid and openly criticised Barça. Laporta did not hesitate to label that intervention as "absurd", pointing out that his colleague is trying to justify the lack of recent titles for the merengue team. "They have gone two years without winning anything and it has to be justified," stated Laporta, who also highlighted that Barça has achieved several titles during the same period.
Pérez had mentioned that Real Madrid had been victims of refereeing robberies that would have cost them important points in the current league. However, Laporta argued that these claims only seek to fuel a negative narrative against Barça and distract Madrid fans.
Despite the tense atmosphere between both clubs, Laporta expressed optimism regarding the immediate future of FC Barcelona. The team has achieved significant successes under the management of Hansi Flick, including two Super Cups and a Cup. "We didn't imagine the haul would be so triumphant; it has turned out even better than expected," confessed Laporta, recalling similar moments under Pep Guardiola's management.
The azulgrana president also addressed the current situation of the squad, emphasising that there is no need to make major signings to maintain competitiveness. With Robert Lewandowski leaving the club after three successful seasons, Laporta stressed the importance of finding a suitable replacement without falling into financial excesses. "Just because we enter rule 1.1, we are not going to do crazy things," he emphasised.
Laporta underscored that his goal is to ensure a solid relaunch for the next five years since his official return to the club on July 1. He stated: "We have world-class leadership, and changing this leadership could be a mistake." This statement reflects his intention to maintain a stable approach while navigating the complexities both sporting and financial that the club currently faces.
“We have world-class leadership, and changing this leadership could be a mistake”
Joan Laporta
As the 2026-2027 football season progresses, all eyes will be on how this historic rivalry between both clubs unfolds and what strategic decisions each will make to regain or maintain their competitive status.
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