With Joan Laporta stepping down on Monday to run in the upcoming elections, Rafa Yuste has assumed the role of interim president of FC Barcelona until June 30. Tonight’s match against Atlético Madrid will be his first in charge, and earlier in the day he attended a club executives’ lunch alongside members of the Atlético board.
Speaking briefly to the media before entering a restaurant in Madrid, Yuste addressed the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg against Atlético and recent developments around the European Super League. He recalled Laporta’s farewell to the players in the dressing room on Tuesday and said the message was one of encouragement. He also noted that he had spoken with the coach as well as Deco, Bojan and Alejandro Echevarria, and that the club will continue to operate as a team while applying the necessary discipline and prudence.
On the cup tie, Yuste stressed that while every match matters, this one carries particular significance because a positive result could lead to a place in the Copa del Rey final. He reflected on his earlier spell at the club under Rijkaard and Guardiola, mentioning that the side performed strongly then and that he has substantial confidence in the current squad. He added that the players are in very good shape, eager to perform for the fans and intent on respecting their opponents.
Regarding Real Madrid’s withdrawal from the Super League and the agreement reached with UEFA, Yuste said Barcelona had distanced itself from the Super League some days earlier and welcomed the outcome as an instance where common sense prevailed. When asked whether this represented a defeat for Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez, Yuste avoided a direct assessment and emphasized that Barcelona had done its homework and maintains strong relationships with relevant organizations, engaging in exchanges of opinion to be more constructive and to safeguard the club’s interests.
On a possible move for Atlético’s striker Julián Álvarez next summer, Yuste steered clear of controversy, underlining that the relationship between the clubs is very good: beyond boardroom contacts there are friendships built over many years, and the lunch had been a very pleasant occasion.
