FCBARCELONA.CAT

19.06.2007 15:05

Joan Laporta: “We are all responsible”

Sergi Nogueras

Laporta has accepted part of the responsibility for a season that has ended in disappointment, with the club missing out on both league and cup. He regretted that Barça had been affected by the “inertial of complacency".

In a massively attended press conference in the Camp Nou Joan Laporta has spoken to the media about the way the 2006/07 went. The Barça president was not afraid to be critical, saying “we are all responsible to differing degrees of blame and responsibility. We share the members and fans’ profound disappointment, especially because of the way we missed out on the league and the cup. In the Champions League we understand that we lost on purely sporting grounds.”

Work to be done

He also analysed where Barça’s mistakes had come from. “For weeks the different club departments have been analysing the situations we have gone through this year. I have to say we are quite sure of what happened and why. The analysis is at an advanced stage and our decisions have nothing to do with winning the league or not. If these adjustments are made, this machine can still bring some great results.”

Internal code

The FC Barcelona president has also said that the club is going to be applying a stricter internal code, which the entire first team will have to observe as well as the Medical Services and coaching staff. He said that "the players have to behave professionally and we cannot tolerate any kind of unprofessional behaviour. There will be an internal code and will be applied rigorously." One of the points to be included in this code is that people must “show more commitment to the club. All club events must be attended obligatorily and sanctions will be applied if the internal code is not adhered to properly.”

The first team

However, he defended his first team squad, saying that this was the same group that has brought so much success in recent years. “The squad is not lacking in quality, that is not the problem” he said. “Both individual and group trophies have shown that. Speaking about their attitude would be over-simplifying things. But there will be comings and goings and these are practically decided and will soon be announced.” Txiki Begiristain will making a pronouncement on these changes in the not so distant future.

The state of the club

But despite the disappointments on the football pitch, Joan Laporta still feels this season forms part of a “very good” four-year period. Since he became president in 2003, Laporta has overseen a number of changes to the club, which is now placed in an evadible situation in many respects. “Four years ago this board won the elections and since then the balance has been good. Two leagues, the Champions League, two Spanish Super Cups and 2 Copa Catalunyas. And the other sports teams have won 29 titles.”

And in terms of the finances and membership, things have never been better. “Our financial results have been good, with an income of 300 million euros and improvements in our profit and a reduction in debt. In terms of membership it has been a good year too. Over this period we have grown from 105,000 to 156,000 members, and there is a far more positive mood about things. And Barça are now recognised internationally thanks to our position as ‘more than a club in the world’. That does not disguise the disappointment of the football results this season, but we need to put this poor season into the right context of four very good years. The club is positioned wonderfully to achieve the objectives we have set to make Barça more than a club in the world.”