Joan Laporta, new president of FC Barcelona

Dumbstar

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Good timing, hopefully puts in a high bid (80-120m) for Mane (he'll be at Afcon next season anyway) so we can use the cash for some upcoming starlets. We need to start refreshing our forward line.

If we're extra lucky he'll take Firmino for another 40m too.
 

sun_tzu

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I’ve heard this before many many times, but for anyone who watched that Sporting game, there was absolutely zero chance we weren’t buying Ronaldo immediately even if we had already signed Ronaldinho.
really - I mean we had lost beckham and there was a place available in the team for a winger

If we had just signed ronaldinho - perhaps ronaldo would have decided to wait a year - or look at other options - or perhaps ronaldiniho would have had a great game stuck in a wondergoal in the first few mins - sportings heads dropped and we stuck 10 past them and ronaldo anonymous throughout - zero chance we didnt sign roaldo - nah of course there was a greater chance we wouldnt have got him
 
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really - I mean we had lost beckham and there was a place available in the team for a winger

If we had just signed ronaldinho - perhaps ronaldo would have decided to wait a year - or look at other options - or perhaps ronaldiniho would have had a great game stuck in a wondergoal in the first few mins - sportings heads dropped and we stuck 10 past them and ronaldo anonymous throughout - zero chance we didnt sign roaldo - nah of course there was a greater chance we wouldnt have got him
If you watched the game, you could clearly see that Ronaldo was desperate for the move and wanted to put himself in the shop window. There’s absolutely no way he was waiting another season if we offered him a deal and the price was good enough that would’ve taken him anyway. No chance we’d be risking him going somewhere else after what we had just seen.

I mean yes, if we’re gonna talk parallel universe events where suddenly a goal from Ronaldinho utterly demoralised Sporting in a meaningless friendly and Ronaldo suddenly became anonymous then fair enough. Cause and effect has me beaten for certain, I can’t argue that.
 
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Pep's Suit

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Im not sure I can see him going back to Barca for a fresh challenge

Either International football or perhaps a new League (Italy with Juve?)

But City seems to be set up around him and what he wants so most probably hes there for the forseable
Pep already said he won't coach Barca again. Ever. I think he will eventually move to Italy but unlikely that will happen before 2025 or 2026.
 

Pep's Suit

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Anyway... There were rumors Laporta wants Ragnick-DoF and Nagelsmann-coach, right?
 

GoonerBear

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There was talk of Laporte targeting Bellerin if he won the election. Hope that's true.
 

nuanced

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Pep was a nobody in 2008 (managerially speaking)
True, but I think if Pep decides to go back to Barsa, their existing grim outlook wouldn't stop him. Based on how his last stint ended, I think there is still some time before he would consider going back to Barsa as a head coach, if ever. I believe he has previously spoken of going back as a youth coach once he is done with his managerial career.
 

Tiber

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Not sure Barca can afford Phil Jones never mind Pep, Messi or Bellerin
 

Xaviesta

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It was a landslide win for Laporta in the end.

 

Lay

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They’re still fecked with debt right? So what change can happen when they can’t even pay their players
 

arthurka

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They’re still fecked with debt right? So what change can happen when they can’t even pay their players
Surely they are absolutely skint.
They will need to fix the wage budget, get rid of Messi and buy cheap for years to come. This is a gigantic task for him.
 

Mb194dc

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They’re still fecked with debt right? So what change can happen when they can’t even pay their players
Refinance the debt and rebuild with La Masia kids, swap deals and loans?

Don't really see where an aging Messi on 2m a week fits in?

Though good for their marketing obv. I quite like Barcelona, just not the Bartomeu neo galactico version of it.
 

carpy

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They’re still fecked with debt right? So what change can happen when they can’t even pay their players
They've also now got to pay back 20 odd years worth of illegal state aid (as do Real) on top of the debt they already had.
 

Sunny Jim

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They’re still fecked with debt right? So what change can happen when they can’t even pay their players
As i said, i know Ferran (the CEO guy) ...one of my friends sent me this what's up message:

will be tough for Barcelona! Ferran: 'there is saving potential. what you can do with 11 you can also do with 9 players'
Cost management will be much better, that's for sure.
 

GoonerBear

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They’re still fecked with debt right? So what change can happen when they can’t even pay their players
Barca fans will no more than me, but it will probably involve some outside investment to help bring the debt down & for a bit of initial investment for players. They then build long term with the likes of Garcia, Perdi, Fati, De Jong & a couple of signings in the summer.
 

Acrobat7

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They’re still fecked with debt right? So what change can happen when they can’t even pay their players
They still have a massive revenue. They should keep Messi on lower wages (duh!) since I believe it was stated that some commercial contracts are dependent on him being a Barca player. This also being the reason why he is on massive wages. Sponsors pay for Messi.
 

iHicksy

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As i said, i know Ferran (the CEO guy) ...one of my friends sent me this what's up message:



Cost management will be much better, that's for sure.
Ah, the old fielding 9 players instead of 11 trick. That will definitely keep the wage bill down. He sounds a cunning chap.
 

Raredaredevil

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Still early days but encouraging signs for Barca. This might be the catalyst they need to come back to win La Liga.
 

Galeano

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He is fun and charismatic, Madrid and the Madrid press hate him and has nightmares about him, how they loved those who have been there until now.
Barcelona is in a difficult moment but would have a much worse future without Laporta.
I sympathize with him.
 

lefty_jakobz

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I reckon they sign Aguero to keep Messi happy. Depay, Gini W and Garcia all on free’s.
Hopefully offer us £50m for Jlingz (4 goals in 5) maybe we buy De Jong for £51m plus they get Phil Jones on loan. Happy days
 

Lay

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Signing Aguero would sum up everything Barcelona have done wrong in the last few years.
 

FootballHQ

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I remember him well, had Barca functioning professionally as a whole.

Didn't they buy Henry, Eto'o, Ibra, Ronaldinho under him? I definitely remember Ronaldinho signing for them rather than us, can't remember if it was under his reign though.
Yeah first major signing although think Laporta actually promised Beckham first in his 2003 election campaign but in the long run Ronaldinho was much better fit in terms of impact.

Edit: Regulus mentioned that above.

Overall he did a really good job first time out, got them back on track with some really good signings and was there in last few years promoting Pep which put them into the golden era.

Going to be much more difficult this time out as feels like Barca have spent much of the last 5 years just eating themselves but he'll give it a go so should be more confidence in him than other candidates.
 

DatIrishFella

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There is a fantastic documentary from 03-04 in regard to Laporta's first run as Barca's president. Highly recommend it. He's an extremely charismatic man.
 

louvega

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He is the man that set up a game at 00:05h so ronaldinho could debut against sevilla before leaving with his national team

 

totaalvoetbal

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Incredible that he is back. He has his faults but he will hopefully return the club back to it's base. Shades of "Operation Blue Elephant".

The Etorno have already started rolling their machine in opposition. The Nunistas have all but destroyed all the embers of Johan Cruijff at the club.
 

Cal?

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Xavi should be brought back to the club in some capacity. No player encapsulates Barcelona over the last 15 years or so more than him. Probably not even Pep.
Messi? :confused: