Barcelona president talks Olmo, Victor, Flick, Deco, Tebas, Florentino Perez, Camp Nou return

Joan Laporta has been spewing hot statements in his press conference today, and rightfully so given how Barcelona were thrown under the bus in the registration issue of Dani Olmo earlier this month.

The situation was clearly not easy on the dressing room or the management and was luckily sorted after an intervention from the CSD.

As part of the same interview, Laporta spoke on the situation in the dressing room, the Camp Nou and other influential individuals including Javier Tebas and Florentino Perez.

Laporta speaks on the team’s mentality

As part of his recent media interaction, Laporta praised Hansi Flick and his team for showing patience and maintaining faith in the board during the torrential weeks that just passed.

“Barcelona fans enjoy a very competitive team, based on players from the club’s academy, supported by players of great talent, in my opinion, led by an exceptional coach in Hansi Flick.”

Further praising Flick and the two players Olmo and Victor, in particular, he said,

“I greatly appreciate the mental strength shown by the team and our coach Hansi Flick.”

“What these two players went through, and what the team and coach endured, was completely unacceptable,” he elaborated.

Laporta also praised the other important figures working in the background.

“This team has become more physically strong thanks to the work of Julio Tous and his team.”

“And all thanks to the director of football, Deco, and his team, which allows us to enjoy special nights like the one we had in Jeddah,” he added.

Speaking on how Olmo and Victor got through the difficult weeks where uncertainty loomed, the president said,

“They suffered a lot, not only them but also their families. It’s not easy.”

“In addition, look, we were telling them clearly: ‘Listen, we are going to register you because we have the legal right to do so,’ but as is the case everywhere, it’s not enough to be right, there has to be a will to give you that right,” he added.

Speaking on the various challenges the players faced, he said,

“They suffered a lot because they couldn’t play, and they suffered a lot because they saw the consequences. However, I think they acted brilliantly.”

“They were great, despite the anxiety, but they tried not to disrupt the group dynamic, and that is something to be appreciated.”

The president then assured the media that the saga was closed and that it would not re-pen.

“I reiterate that the Supreme Sports Council has granted the immediate precautionary measure, and its decision even refers to the cancellation of the administrative act, which will make everything null and void.”

The media then asked Laporta about Raphinha’s statements ahead of the Super Cup final about the situation of Olmo and Victor and the club as a whole. Laporta, however, insisted it was the media who forced the player into making statements.

“The captain came out to speak, but you trapped him, you directed your questions at him, and yet our captain, who is not only an exceptional player, but also a great person, told us clearly: ‘I said that Barcelona is the best place I could be’.”

“Then he was asked: “What if you were outside the club and saw what was happening?” Naturally, with all that being said, anyone from the outside could be affected,” he added.

On Tebas and Perez

He was then asked if he was referring to Javier Tebas when he spoke of individuals attempting to destabilize the board, to which he said,

“I had spoken with the president of the Spanish Football Federation, and it was clear to him that the authorizations had to be granted, and when they were not, I told him personally and directly what I was thinking.”

“And indeed, at the event the next day or two after, we talked again and clarified things,” he added.

He then insisted that he did not point the finger at any particular individual.

“What else did I say? No, I don’t intend to point fingers at anyone in particular at this point, because you know what? Everybody has the right to do what they see fit.”

Laporta was then asked about Tebas’ decision to appeal against the registrations of Olmo and Victor, to which he said,

“Everyone has the right to make their own decisions. If I said earlier that I am an advocate and a fan of the rule of law, I cannot say that they cannot do what they see fit as long as it is within the legal framework. Everyone has the right to do that.”

“I don’t think that they are doing this to harm the registration of players, that is my personal opinion, but it is just a hunch,” he added.

Several La Liga clubs openly issued notices of their disapproval over Olmo’s registration but Real Madrid surprisingly did not. When asked if Florentino Perez had spoken anything in private with him, Laporta said,

“I don’t want to reveal the private conversations I had with other club presidents. But what I can say is that I am very grateful to the clubs who did not take a stand against us, because I think they clearly realized that this was not the right way forward.”

“We must remember that we may be fierce competitors on the pitch, but off the pitch, within the framework of the bond that unites us as clubs, we must defend the interests of everyone together,” he added.

Sending a message to clubs who stood against Barcelona, he expressed his clear unhappiness.

“As for the clubs that have taken a stand against us, I am clearly not happy with that and I do not agree with what they are doing.”

Finally, the president gave an update on the situation of Spotify Camp Nou and the potential return date.

“This is not just a renovation, it is not just painting the stadium, it is the construction of a completely new stadium, so it cannot be considered just a renovation. It is a new stadium that we will return to as soon as possible when it becomes possible.”

“However, I also want to stress that this new Camp Nou, as you all know, is the key to generating a lot of revenue in the coming years,” he added.

Source: Mundo Deportivo