Barcelona president Laporta buries the hatchet with Atletico Madrid CEO: ‘We saw each other and hugged’ | OneFootball

FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta is in Copenhagen this week for the 33rd General Assembly of the European Football Clubs (EFC), formerly known as the ECA, in an especially significant event for Barcelona.

After all this marks his first attendance at the event since the club returned to the EFC after a lengthy exile due to their partnership in the European Super League project.

Laporta had attended the October 2025 assembly in Rome, but on that occasion he was a guest after four years away from the organisation. And the club’s return to the association was subsequently confirmed in February 2026.

Laporta settles things with Miguel Angel Marin

Speaking to El Chiringuito during the assembly, the Barcelona president highlighted his meeting with Atlético Madrid CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin.

The two clubs were at loggerheads all through the summer due to the Catalans’ pursuit of Atleti striker Julian Alvarez.

It prompted Gil Marin to lash out at the La Liga champions on more than one occasion, with the Rojiblancos’ CEO calling out Laporta and Barça’s way of operating in the market.

However, with the transfer window over and the Blaugrana having moved on from Alvarez, Laporta revealed that he spoke with Gil Marin and they were able to bury the hatchet.

“We saw each other and hugged. I’m sure we’ve already smoothed things over, and from now on everything is clear. He’s a fantastic man who I feel very comfortable with,” Laporta said.

Rebuilding relations

Back in the EFC. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Meanwhile Laporta’s appearance at the EFC General Assembly marked the rebuilding of relationships that had been largely broken since 2021.

Nasser Al-Khelaifi, PSG president and head of the EFC, publicly welcomed him warmly and even described him as being back in the family.

The Barça chief also met Aleksander Ceferin, UEFA president, with whom the club’s relationship has strengthened considerably over the past year.

The trip to Copenhagen therefore represents another step forward for Barcelona as Laporta is once again sitting at the table with Europe’s clubs with full membership rights.