NEW YORK — Barcelona has had an incredible summer so far. President Joan Laporta oversaw a dramatic financial recovery that allowed freedom in the transfer market.
The 26-time Spanish champions spent around $130m on Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and Jules Kounde, with Franck Kessie and Andreas Christensen also arriving on free transfers. And Ousmane Dembele re-signed for the club on a 40% pay cut after his contract expired.
Laporta is still hoping to bring in two more players and resolve the future of Frenkie de Jong, with Barcelona hoping he will halve his wages. This is not only an urgent need, but part of a broader goal to reduce the club’s wage bill to $400 million. Manchester United have been chasing the Dutch midfielder all summer and a sale has not yet been ruled out.
Some challenges remain, particularly in terms of registering new players under LaLiga’s strict financial rules. But a new four-year sponsorship deal with Spotify, as well as selling 25% of LaLiga TV rights to investment firm Sixth Street, eased any fears of bankruptcy and allowed Xavi to strengthen his squad .
Barcelona now enter the new season with renewed confidence on and off the pitch, and their 1-0 win in the pre-season Clasico in Las Vegas will give fans hope that they can win La Liga and go also far in the Champions League.
In an exclusive interview with CBS Sports, Laporta gives Nico Cantor and me his expectations ahead of the 2022-23 campaign and admits he would like to resign Messi.
The following Q&A has been lightly edited for clarity and flow.
On a Messi return
CBS Sports: Do you still feel under scrutiny for Messi’s exit? See the article : Fanatics is in talks to buy sports betting company Tipico, sources say.
Joan Laporta: I did what I had to do to put the institution over the best player in our history. I know Messi since I was a child and I like Leo. I feel in moral debt to Messi. He is the best player in our history and I will do my best to make sure he can have the best end of his career with a Barça shirt.
I would like to bring it back. It won’t be easy, but I think with the right strategy we can do it. I think Messi has been the most important player in our history. During a long period of success he was the leader. He was the one who excited our supporters. We will do our best to have Messi finish his career at Barcelona and be applauded by everyone.
I feel in moral debt to Messi. He is the best player in our history and I will do my best to make sure he can have the best end of his career with a Barça shirt.
CBS Sports: So how likely is a Messi return?
Laporta: As I said, we owe a moral debt to Leo. The end of Leo in Barcelona was not the best. It was a difficult time. We had to make a decision and put the club over the best player in our history. But I think we should work now so that Messi ends his career back with the Barcelona shirt that is applauded on every field he plays. We will do our best to give you the ending you deserve.
CBS Sports: Have you talked to Messi to see if he has the appetite to come back?
Laporta: This is an idea and our motto. All I can say is I’ll do my best – that’s all.
CBS Sports: Are you actively moving for Messi now or will you wait until after the World Cup?
Laporta: Again, I tell you that this is a wish that we have and I hope that we can turn it into reality. We have a strategy to return to Barcelona. Barça love Leo, the fans love Leo and so do I. I will do my best.
CBS Sports: Will he come back with a pay cut?
Laporta: We’ll see. Now is not the best time to talk about it because he is a PSG player and he has one more year on his contract and we have to respect that.
On being offered Ronaldo
CBS Sports: Is it true that before signing Robert Lewandowski you were offered Cristiano Ronaldo? See the article : Title IX: How the Next Generation of Black and Brown Athletes Are Working for More Diversity in Sport.
Laporta: Well, this kind of story is all in the process of the summer window. There is always a lot of news. But in the end the truth is that we want Lewandowski. We have a very good relationship with Jorge Mendes. I have known him for a long time. He is one of the best player agents. He knows how to do his job and I respect him.
In this case, we decided to go for Lewandowski and we knew that he was crucial for our success. So let’s go to Bayern instead. This is the reality. The other topic [Ronaldo] is only part of the “small story” of football. It’s a very nice story, but you’ll always hear a lot of conflicting news about it.
CBS Sports: So to confirm, have you ever considered Ronaldo?
Laporta: We had Lewandowski. It was our main goal and we prefer not to comment further.
CBS Sports: Are you surprised Ronaldo can’t find a new club?
Laporta: Ronaldo is a very good professional and he is always so fit. He is a very ambitious and competitive player and I am sure he has many options. He is still a Manchester United player, an extraordinary club that I respect a lot. Their future is none of my business. It is the business of Manchester United and Cristiano.
On new signings
CBS Sports: Are you pleased with your transfer window so far? See the article : The future of transgender athletes in competitions is uncertain, as sports organizations change the rules, issue bans.
Laporta: I know. I think we showed in the US tour, and with our Clasico win, we are competitive and the fans (both Barcelona supporters and just football fans) are excited about it. That game in Las Vegas was unofficial, but there really is no friendly between Barcelona and Real Madrid. And what was important was not only that we won, but the style we played in it. For us, it’s about having the same philosophy as in many other successful periods in our history. We have improved with new signings like Lewandowski, Christensen, Kessie, Kounde and Raphinha and there are probably more to come.
CBS Sports: Is Bernardo Silva a possibility?
Laporta: He’s a great player. I have to respect, however, that he belongs to Manchester City. I have some friends, like Pep Guardiola, Tixi Bergstein and Khaldoon Al Mubarak. There are many people I know.
CBS Sports: Will there be problems registering new players?
Laporta: With LaLiga, nobody knows. But we try to do things with full respect for the rules. Sometimes there are different interpretations. We’ll see what happens. But we made a great effort to increase our revenue. We brought in more than 600 million euros in about 45 days. I think LaLiga understands our effort and our intention to follow the rules and I hope there will be no problems.
With LaLiga, nobody knows. But we try to do things with full respect for the rules. Sometimes there are different interpretations.
On Frenkie de Jong
CBS Sports: You still need to sort out Frenkie de Jong’s future. Will he stay in Barcelona?
Laporta: The first thing to say is that we want Frenkie to stay at Barcelona. We love the player and him as a human being. I want him to stay at Barcelona. He is a high quality player and a good man. I also know that he wants to stay.
CBS Sports: How much of a headache did Frenkie try to take a pay cut?
Laporta: Everything we do with Frenkie is the same as the rest of the team. The incoming signings have added their salary to the new structure. But Frenkie has a contract and we respect that. We can’t force him to take a pay cut. It’s their decision
We try to run the football club prudently and sustainably. So we need to have these talks and do so in a calm and considered way. We have explained the situation and are grateful to all players who can help. It was the same with Dembele and I am very grateful to him. And after months of discussions, he accepted a renegotiation of his salary and can be proud of his decision.
CBS Sports: What if Frenkie doesn’t take a pay cut and just stays at Barcelona?
Laporta: So it will continue. He has a contract. We will respect this decision. For us, he is a Barcelona player. We count on him.
CBS Sports: Can you categorically confirm Frenkie will not join Manchester United?
Laporta: In football, you never know. I can’t say categorically. It all depends on the different parties. But in principle, I can say that there is a strong possibility that he will stay, and I can say as president that I will do my best for him to stay in Barcelona.
CBS Sports: What’s your response to Gary Neville saying de Jong should take legal action?
Laporta: No answer. I respect his opinion. But in my opinion it is not fair because I insist that we respect all our players. We follow the contracts. If we invest in new players it is to make the club more competitive. It’s a circle: Invest in new players, the fans engage and that in turn improves our economy. Gary was a good footballer for Manchester United. I respect his opinion and that’s all I have to say.
CBS Sports: What did you make of Dutch players’ union president Evgeniy Levchenko accusing you of extortion tactics?
Laporta: There is no extortion that was used on Frenkie or anyone else. I respect his opinion, but if talks between two parties count as extortion then I think this guy is wrong.
CBS Sports: What makes you comfortable asking players to take a pay cut?
Laporta: The club has a salary that is 40% higher than our competitors. We have to reduce this and it is not easy. But the players we’re talking about – who took a pay cut – all love Barca. They reduced their wages for the love of the club. All players, new and old, understand the limitations. And they want to be artists who bring back Barcelona. They are aware that they can be part of one of the most brilliant periods in the history of the club.
CBS Sports: And morally, is it right to spend your newly generated income on signings instead of deferred wages?
Laporta: I respect every opinion, but when people form this view, they often do not have enough information to make such a statement. For me, the players we signed this summer are investments not expenses. And our existing players understand this perfectly. The new signings add their salaries to the new structure we have created and all we ask is the current team, where possible, do the same.
People outside the club don’t have all the information. We have to act like this or the club will probably disappear. Don’t risk the club. On the contrary. I love Barcelona. So you can imagine, I don’t take decisions that risk the future of the club and our 122 years of history. It will be very difficult for someone to damage the club with me as president because I am here to protect Barcelona. We have been so brave in difficult times and I know the fans believe in us. I feel the confidence and trust of the fans and what I want to do is to bring back the shining times from my first period as president.
CBS Sports: Did you ever offer de Jong to Chelsea when you had dinner with their minority owner and chairman Todd Boehly?
Laporta: No, no, no. We had a very nice dinner in Barcelona and we talked about football in general. He is a very successful businessman. He is involved in sports with the Lakers and the Dodgers and now with Chelsea. He looks like a man who knows what he wants to do and it was a very nice dinner.
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On Chelsea relationship
CBS Sports: Is it fair to say that Barcelona and Chelsea have been intertwined this window?
Laporta: We have a good relationship and we respect our opponents. The [minority] owner of Chelsea, Todd Boehly, is an extraordinary person. We had this need to be active in the transfer market to improve our team. And it happens that some of the players who wanted, we also did. Those players wanted to come to Barcelona because they believe in our project, our history, our style of play and our coach. Xavi is important.
CBS Sports: You recently signed Jules Kounde from Sevilla, but did you ever really think Chelsea would have won that race?
Laporta: The player preferred Barcelona because he understood that we have a consistent project with a coach he likes. And in this case, we had an advantage compared to our competitor. This was thanks to the good work done by Mateu Alemany. He and Jordi Cruyff worked wonders last summer and are doing an excellent job again. The player also helped us in this specific matter.
CBS Sports: Was it the same situation with Raphinha?
Laporta: It was the same. Not only did he expect it, but in terms of salary, he (like other actors) accepts the new salary structure. We are very grateful and I think the players who do this will be proud of their decision and like Barcelona.
CBS Sports: Still waiting to sign Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso from Chelsea?
Laporta: They are under contract at Chelsea and we respect that as the new owner. I don’t want to talk about players who belong to other teams. I respect Cesar and Marcos as footballers. They are very, very good players. They show their quality and talent to Chelsea. But I don’t want to talk about them as a matter of respect for Chelsea.
On a healthier future
CBS Sports: What has been the biggest key to improving Barcelona’s finances?
Laporta: We had to get out of the hospital. A year ago, it was practically Chapter 11. We had to work very hard to restore the finances and avoid bankruptcy. I can proudly say that we did it. A year later, we are in positive equity. It is very important. This season, we have 1 billion euros in revenue and 124 million euros in profits. This means we are always getting better.
And now we have sold 25% of our LaLiga TV rights for 25 years. Honestly, I didn’t want to do it, but I had to do it to save the club. I want to thank Sixth Street because we reached a very good deal for both parties. We had higher offers, but this was the right one for us. And we have enough now, under Financial Fair Play, to buy the players again.
We have sold 25% of our LaLiga TV rights for 25 years. Honestly, I didn’t want to do it, but I had to do it to save the club.
CBS Sports: Was it stressful to get back to a positive balance?
Laporta: It was very hard. But my expertise is in managing chaos. It also happened in my first period as president and I was successful and we had the most successful period of the club. We had some luck, but part of that was because we took care of all the little details. Now in this second period, it has been more stressful but we have a strategy. The plan is “work, work and work” and thanks to all the people around me, the board of directors, my staff and employees, everyone helped to save the football club.
CBS Sports: How important is the Spotify deal to the future of the club?
Laporta: We are excited about the strategic partnership with Spotify. Two global brands are able to engage, which are both leaders, and we share philosophy and values. Moreover, this has never been seen before – a partnership that unites football and music, sport and entertainment. It has huge potential. When I arrived a year ago, Barça was in a very difficult situation. But thanks to the work we all do, we are now out of the hospital. Now we are healthy again and we are ready to compete.
CBS Sports: You also sold your first NFT. What do you like about this sector?
Laporta: It will be the first Barcelona NFT in our history and it is a piece of art. When they showed it to me for the first time, it was very touching. I was emotional. It is an iconic image in the history of our club linked to the best player I ever saw in my youth – Johan Cruyff. He was the player who inspired so much of our present and also me on a personal level. When we won six trophies in 2009, it was thanks to this excellent human. We displayed the NFT in Time Square in New York and auctioned it at Sotheby’s. We are excited.
On time in America
CBS Sports: How important is the US market?
Laporta: The United States is an interesting territory for Barcelona. It is very important for our global growth plans. There are some links between Barcelona and the States that are very nice. We are committed to this country. I’ll tell you why. It is the 13th time that Barça has come to the United States for a summer tour.
The first was in 1937. This was crucial for the survival of the club because it was in the middle of the Spanish Civil War and without a doubt, without that tour, Barça would not exist. For the economy of the club, that trip was very important. I want to thank America for its historical and current hospitality towards America.
CBS Sports: You also signed a partnership in New York with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Can you give more details?
Laporta: We did an event in New York with UNHCR. We have an agreement for both the club and our Foundation, and it is a priority. We will focus our efforts on helping refugees and displaced people around the world. We have signed a strategic partnership from this season. It is a great honor for us. We want to proudly show our love for UNHCR on the shirts of our men’s and women’s teams.
This partnership is part of a message of solidarity to the world. UNHCR data says there are 100 million refugees or displaced people who are specifically children or young adults. They are forced to flee their countries due to war or oppression. Our social commitment is to help tackle this problem as a responsible football club. We want to help alleviate the situation as much as we can.
On expectations for the new season
CBS Sports: Finally, what would count as a successful season in 2022-23?
Laporta: I believe we will compete for LaLiga and the Champions League. We are a stakeholder in these competitions and we will try to win both. I hope we have a chance. But we’ll see. But I am sure we will show our genuine style of playing football that the fans love. They will be very proud of us this season.
The president of Barcelona, Joan Laporta, spoke to Ben Jacobs and Nico Cantor.
