As presidential elections approach at Barça, support for and opposition to the current leadership are fragmented. Different figures have taken varied stances: Víctor Font has called for a plebiscite regarding Laporta, Marc Ciria refuses to make pacts, Xavi Vilajoana continues on his own path, and Joan Camprubí is working to forge a single candidacy. That disunity among rivals would make Laporta’s path easier if opponents fail to unite.
Democracy means choosing between options that reflect different sensitivities, and an essential reading of the results will be whether Laporta secures an absolute majority. If he does not obtain more votes than all other candidates combined, that will strengthen those who advocate for a unified opposition project.
The decision rests in the hands of 114,571 registered members, who will determine the club’s direction for the next five years. If turnout repeats 2021’s 50.42% (55,611 votes), then on March 15 some 57,766 members would cast ballots — a figure that is extraordinary for a sports association and underscores the distinctiveness of the club.
On the sporting side Laporta presents strong credentials: under Xavi and Flick the team regained championship form with an identifiable style, and signings such as Koundé, Lewandowski, Raphinha, Dani Olmo and Joan García support the work of sporting directors Mateu Alemany, Jordi Cruyff, Deco and Bojan. The new Camp Nou is also progressing faster than expected, so stadium, squad and trophies stand out as the main sporting achievements of his term.
On the negative side, his tenure has unresolved issues: the unfulfilled promise regarding Leo Messi; scandals linked to ISL; a supplier that covered part of the board’s guarantees; a strained relationship with New Era Visionary Group; the selection of Limak despite internal club criteria rating it worst; soaring debt; asset sales; accumulated financial losses; and the inability to register players because the 1:1 rule problem remains unsolved.
Given these facts, each member must weigh which aspects matter most when casting their vote. Democracy without full information is incomplete, and voters should decide based on the balance of sporting successes and administrative failures.
