Barcelona president slams La Liga for being lenient during Bartomeu’s tenure: “Crazy contracts”

During the Ordinary General Assembly of FC Barcelona, club president Joan Laporta shed light on the process that the team will adopt to ratify the financial levers that the Catalans had pulled in order to gain the monetary benefit ahead of the 2022-23 season.

During the assembly, the partners were also asked to approve the appointment of the new president of the Economic Commission.

Many aspects including the president’s report, report and approval of the settlement of the financial year and budget for the financial year corresponding to the 2022/2023 season were discussed.

Before the club president took the stage, a video recalling the club’s situation and its evolution over the last year and a half was shown. After that, Joan Laporta began his speech by saying that the members’ efforts pulled Barcelona out of financial trouble.

“Together we saved Barça. What we inherited was very bad. The hole that was left was huge, but we have been covering it,” the president was quoted by Mundo Deportivo.

“We come from a lack of governance and internal controls that caused the club to collapse. I can proudly announce that this October Spotify will launch its application in Catalan,” he added.

Laporta added that when he took over the team, it was in a really bad financial state. But it was their perseverance that made the team stable again.

“We came from a situation with debts, losses, in a situation of collapse. And defaults with banks and even with the statutes themselves. The viability of the club was in danger. We could be conservative but it led us to sporting disaster and economic ruin. 

“Another option was to ask for an economic contribution from the members, but they were not responsible, you did not deserve it. We love Barça and the Catalans. 

“We rolled up our sleeves, and we worked hard, generating enthusiasm and satisfying the desire to want to have fun well with Barça. We made a strategic plan to seek sporting excellence again. And a commitment to essence, we own the club,” he explained.

On the budget, he said, “We have achieved the best budgets in history, with revenues of €1,255 million and profits of €274 million.”

Furthermore, he admitted that Barcelona cannot rely just on the levers, but added that the team now has the capacity to attract global capital.

“We define levers as operations that optimize our resources. Barça is alive and we have an enormous capacity to attract capital. We are aware that we cannot operate on the basis of levers alone,” he said.

He continued by saying the financial prowess of the other European giants is equally worrying given that they have unlimited resources, which is why the team is supporting the idea of the new Super League.

“The financial situation of European clubs is very worrying. State clubs have unlimited resources and UEFA gives them power. That’s why we support the super league.”

“Soon we will have news and dialogue channels will be established. The super league will find solutions to the problems. The principles of solidarity and meritocracy are followed in the super league,” he added.

About the levers, Laporta explained, “The €667 million we achieved from the sale of television rights was not enough for the league. We had to sell 49% of Barça Studios. 24.5% to Socios and 24.5% to Orpheus Media.”

“With €867 million from the levers, the League said it was not enough to register Kounde. The board endorsed 10 million to register Kounde. Mateu Alemany participated in this operation.”

Laporta also spoke about the contracts of the players in the team and the reduction of salaries, suggesting that they have reduced some salaries, and are trying to reduce others. During this, he hit out at La Liga for their leniency during the time Josep Bartomeu was president of the club.

“I would have liked it if La Liga had shown the same control they are doing now when they were aware of the crazy contracts.”

Lastly, the president pressed that Barcelona is owned by the members and only these members will decide the future of the team.

“We do not have a state behind or a tycoon. Nor do we want them. Neither do those who want to protect Barça from a distance and those who want Barça to do badly. 

“To these, we send a message that Barça is owned by the members, who decide the present the future of the club. Thank you and visit Barça,” he concluded.

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