On Wednesday Joan Laporta visited Girona to present his re‑election project as president of FC Barcelona under the slogan “Defensem el Barça” and answered questions from members and supporters.
On Messi, Laporta repeated his stance that the eight‑time Ballon d’Or winner deserves a statue like Kubala and Cruyff and that the club should arrange a testimonial match whenever Messi wishes. He also noted that Messi has a valid contract where he is that runs until 2028 and said that would be ideal.
Laporta spoke at length about refereeing after controversial officiating cost Barcelona in their recent La Liga clash with Girona. He said the club had sent a letter to the Federation that oversees the Technical Committee of Referees, a well‑argued document intended to be constructive and based on indisputable facts. He referred to the specific incident in the Girona game—a foul on Jules Koundé that went unawarded before the opposition’s winning goal, a subsequent stamp on Koundé, and a disputed penalty on Lamine—and argued that if VAR is meant to monitor irregularities it should determine which players entered the area first.
He insisted the club cannot only complain and must try to be a better team, but also warned of a perceived, recurring double standard in refereeing that harms Barcelona and benefits their rivals, implicitly pointing to Real Madrid without naming them. Laporta said there are certain referees who repeatedly ‘mess things up’ for Barcelona, sometimes calling the opposite of what they have called against Barça in identical situations.
On Camp Nou and the 2030 World Cup final, Laporta confirmed talks with the City Council about hosting the final at Spotify Camp Nou and said significant work is required: the master plan needs amendment and the stadium surroundings, including the university campus and esplanade, must be prepared.
Regarding the sporting project, he said that if re‑elected Barcelona would continue to invest in La Masia and follow the roadmap set out by sporting director Deco: reinforce positions from within the academy first and, where needed, look for young players to develop and players to strengthen the team. He described La Masia as a cornerstone of the sporting project that makes the club sustainable both financially and on the pitch.
