FC Barcelona President Joan Laporta will step down from his duties during a campaign to be re-elected, with the date of the presidential election set to be revealed on Thursday next week according to Mundo Deportivo, which cited anonymous sources.
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FC Barcelona President Joan Laporta will step down from his duties during a campaign to be re-elected, with the date of the presidential election set to be revealed on Thursday next week according to Mundo Deportivo, which cited anonymous sources.
As Laporta concentrates on trying to remain in his post for another five years, vice-president Rafa Yuste is set to lead the board of 17 others members.
A meeting of the board of directors has been scheduled for January 22, and it is expected that the election could be held on March 15 or March 22.
Up until now, Laporta’s main rivals to become the leader of one of the world’s biggest sport entities are Victor Font, who Laporta beat in 2021, Xavi Vilajoana and Marc Ciria.
Whoever is successful, and wins the most votes from Barca members, will be awarded a mandate until 2031.
FC Barcelona President Joan Laporta has had a successful reign
Returning to helm after, as said, winning an election in 2021, Laporta’s second spell in charge can be deemed a success.
Granted he failed to deliver on his campaign trail promise to renew Lionel Messi’s contract, with the club’s greatest ever player fleeing to Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer just a few months after Laporta was sworn in.
But the President has managed to steady Barca’s immediate financial problems triggered by a post-pandemic economic crisis, while overseeing success on the pitch.
The appointment of club legend Xavi Hernandez as head coach brought with it the Super Cup and a first La Liga title in four years, while another Laporta hire in Hansi Flick scooped a domestic treble in his first season.
Flick retained the Spanish Super Cup at the weekend causing the dismissal of his Real Madrid opposite number Xabi Alonso, and a run to the Champions League semifinals in 2024/2025 also brought with it $135 million in prize money from UEFA according to an AS report.
Laporta has usually got it right with his signings as well, with the famous pulling of his ‘economic levers’ facilitating the arrival of players such as Raphinha, Jules Kounde and Robert Lewandowski, who have become modern day FC Barcelona legends.