Joan Laporta will officially resume his role as FC Barcelona president for a fourth term after his re-election in March 2026. He comfortably defeated Victor Font, while Vice-President Rafa Yuste handled interim club leadership since the election call.
During the electoral campaign, former head coach Xavi Hernandez was a key supporter of Font. Appointed by Laporta in 2022, Xavi led Barcelona to a La Liga title in his second season but experienced turmoil in his third season, resigning, being reinstated, and then sacked within four months.
The strained relationship between Xavi and Laporta has been evident. During the election campaign, Xavi criticized Laporta harshly, accusing him of undermining Lionel Messi’s return and being overly influenced by advisor Alejandro Echevarria. Xavi remarked, “Echevarria is more in charge than Laporta,” which further deepened the discord between the former coach and the current club board.
