Laporta: 'I hope it will be a brilliant stage in Barça history'

Joan Laporta showed himself to be optimistic in his speech as he took office as the new president of FC Barcelona. At a Camp Nou replete with figures from both the Club and Catalan political and cultural fields, Laporta gave an indication of the direction that will be taken by the new board of directors: get the Club back on track financially after the blow of the Covid-19 pandemic; making the team more competitive; preserving La Masia as the identity of the Club with regards to its style of play and its philosophy. 

The financial situation 

"It is our priority. We want Barça to be sustainable and we have a plan of action which we will apply. Hard work is guaranteed." 

"We will try to create new sources of income and take the right decisions." 

"We have a professional team who are ready to turn this situation around." 

"At this time of great difficulty, I want to send a reassuring message. When the fans can return to Camp Nou, the pre-Covid income will return."

The future on the pitch 

"With regards to to the men's first team, this season we are going for the Copa del Rey and the league." 

"I will try to convince Leo Messi to stay. He is the best player in the history of football." 

"The team is getting better and we hope it can continue that way. Ronald, we trust in you." 

"We want to win things again and do it in style, to continue our history of success in the Champions League." 

The importance of La Masia

"We want to train the boys and girls who come to us at a young age." 

"The other day I saw footage of Ilaix Moriba getting emotional remembering his passage through the youth teams. It is important that first we give people the chance to give the best of themselves at the Club." 

A Catalan open to the world 

"Barça is more than a Club. We have a symbolic and representative weight on behalf of Catalonia. When we go around the world then people see us as the Catalan club." 

"We wear our values with pride. We have always been linked to the country; we are global and everyone knows us. We have positioned ourselves as champions of rights and liberties." 

"We are a Catalan club, open to the world, where all forms of thinking are welcome in a democractic environment. At Barça there is room for everyone and we want to welcome people in." 

Barça active socially via the Foundation 

"With the Foundation we did something unique. We were pioneers amongst football clubs and we put UNICEF on the shirt. I think the players were proud to wear it." 

"We have been able to help a lot of people and we want to get behind the Foundation." 

The key to success in the first term

"Often we have asked ourselves: How did things turn out so well in the first term? First of all, we have had some phenomenal players and also the stability that we had." 

"I make a call to all Barça fans who think they can do something for Barça. We cannot do it along. As the anthem says, all together we are stronger." 

"There will be strong leadership and decisions will be taken. I have the feeling that I won't be alone." 

"We will defend the Club wherever it is necessary before whoever, that is my commitment."