Laporta talks Messi, La Masia, Camp Nou, refereeing – ‘There are certain referees who really mess things up for us’ | OneFootball

On Wednesday, Joan Laporta visited Girona to present his project for re-election as president of FC Barcelona.

After outlining the main pillars of his programme, under the slogan “Defensem el Barça”, the former president answered questions from members and supporters.

On Messi

Asked about former captain and club legend Lionel Messi and what he would do regarding the Argentine if elected, Laporta repeated his stance of honouring the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner with a statue.

“Like Kubala and Cruyff, I think Messi deserves a statue, and we should also arrange a testimonial match, which we’re open to doing whenever they want,” said Laporta.

“It would be wonderful to see, given everything he’s given to Barça, and I also want to say that Barça have given him a lot. I think the statue and the tribute are what he deserves,” he added.

“He has a valid contract where he is, and it ends in 2028. I think that would be ideal.”

On the recent loss to Girona and refereeing issues

The topic on which he spoke at greatest length was refereeing, after controversial officiating had cost Barcelona in their most recent La Liga clash against Girona this past Monday.

Although Laporta argued that the club must not dwell on constant complaints but instead strive to be a better team, he maintained that he perceives a refereeing trend unfavourable to Barcelona and favourable to their rivals, Real Madrid.

“The club has sent a letter to the Federation, which oversees the Technical Committee of Referees. It’s a very well-argued document, attempting to be constructive with indisputable facts,” he said, kicking things off.

Talking about the particular incident against Girona, where a foul on Jules Kounde went unawarded in the lead-up to their winning goal, Laporta elaborated:

“And that was before the stamp on Kounde… And we Barça fans are also proud of Girona; those of us from Barcelona also have a part of Girona in us. In fact, I’m happy for their victories as long as they’re not against us.

“But the stamp was blatant, and regarding the penalty on Lamine, if there’s a VAR system that’s supposed to monitor irregularities, then it should see that two players entered the area first.”

Laporta insisted that the team has the capability to evolve beyond this, but also highlighted how this blatant double-standard treatment could not be ignored.

“In any case, what’s happening here is that we can’t just dwell on complaining; that’s not the behaviour of a club of Barça’s stature. We must be clear, express our opinion to the relevant bodies, and try to improve this group,” he said.

Laporta unhappy with refereeing in Barcelona games. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

“But we’re starting to see trends that are inexplicable, that are difficult to explain. There are certain referees, and it’s a constant, recurring issue, that when they call our games, they really mess things up for us, and that’s the reality,” continued the ex-president.

“You could name them all, and it’s happened more than once, with identical plays. They’ve even called the opposite of what they’ve called against us, to our detriment. That’s blatant.”

Pointing fingers at Real Madrid without actually naming them, Laporta continued: “When we say we defend Barça against everything and everyone, this is what we mean.

“Some people just can’t accept what we are, what we represent, or what we can achieve as a team because, on the field, we have a very competitive team that can aspire to almost anything.

“But it’s true that when we’re going through a rough patch, they try to crush us. And when the others are going through a rough patch, they help them out; they’ve learned to swim and they dive right in.

“But we have to accept all of this, we have to fight against it. The best way to deal with it is to be better, to be a better team, to try to overcome this adversity.”

On Camp Nou and La Masia

Laporta also addressed Barcelona’s push for hosting the 2030 FIFA World Cup final at the Spotify Camp Nou, confirming that they were in talks with the City Council for the same.

“It’s perfect that it will be played at Camp Nou, but a lot of work needs to be done first. The general plan needs to be amended; we’ve requested this from the city council, but it’s not just about finishing the stadium,” he said.

“FIFA requires that the entire stadium’s surroundings be adapted, and everything needs to be prepared, including the university campus and the esplanade.”

Regarding the sporting project, Laporta insisted that if he returned as president, Barcelona would continue investing in talent in La Masia while following the roadmap laid out by current sporting director, Deco.

“We will continue to invest in La Masia; it is the central pillar of our sporting project. Deco’s guiding principle is this: if a position needs strengthening, we first look within the academy,” he said.

“It’s an academy that produces highly talented players, and if we don’t have the right player there, we look elsewhere.

“At La Masia, we’ve already identified a couple of positions where players aren’t emerging, and we’re already looking for young players to come and develop, as well as identifying players to strengthen the team. 

Concluding, Laporta said: “La Masia will continue to be the cornerstone of our sporting project because it makes the club sustainable both financially and in terms of its performance.”

Source: Mundo Deportivo