Joan Laporta is in Arauca, a Colombian department near the border with Venezuela where Barça, through its Foundation, collaborates with the UNHCR to help refugees displaced by armed conflict. A remote place where millions of people live in subhuman situations that they forget for a moment when they hear about the Barça entity, bearer of "smiles", "hope" and "joy".
"They have cruel living conditions. We will never be able to grasp the reality, but at least we are here to help protect and improve their lives. I imagined it would be hard. They have to leave where they live and go to the first place they find. In this case, next to a river, in the middle of the jungle. A lot of poverty, a lot of humidity, rain, stagnant water... Living conditions that I would not wish on anyone," the Barcelona leader described the place in an interview. for El món to RAC1.
"Above all, we try to help the youngest. UNHCR helps guide them and participates in programs for child protection and access to housing and land. We liked that most of them are in school (...) Once they leave school, school we try from Barça to get them to do sport, and we provide them with a working methodology so that they don't fall into drugs and war", he added about the club's mission.
Despite being thousands of kilometers from Barcelona, the top Barcelona representative has noted that "the Barça brand is still very powerful" and Leo Messi is still included in the Culé imaginary, now at PSG. "When we walk through the settlements they ask me about Messi. 'You have to make him return to Barça', they told me. I told them that Messi is from Barça. Calm down. We have been lucky to have him at Barça and we'll see if he comes back. Go wherever you go to Messi they identify him with Barça", Laporta dodged the possibility of the Argentine's return next summer, since he does not want to enter into "controversies with PSG".
The president remained cautious when he spoke about possible signings, as Barça currently have a negative fair play. "It limits us to bring players. Also the elimination of the Champions affects. On the other hand, we have improved in sponsorships, which gives us fair play. There is the paradox that we have resources as a result of the levers, with record figures this year, but the rules of fair play, where other parameters play, mean that we have negative fair play", lamented a Laporta who advocated "talking" with LaLiga to put on the table all "the interpretations" of the regulations and reach "a solution ".
Despite the delicate balance of fair play, he indicated that "the economic problems are being solved", although everything would be easier with the Super League. "There is a bonus of 1,000 million that is distributed to the founding clubs. The figure has to be specified because it has been changing. At first it was higher. Winning the competition would represent about 300-350 million. It pays more than a Champions League", wakefulness.
At the moment, the project for the new European competition is stalled in court, but in 2023 it could receive the green light, according to Laporta. "The attorney general will make a statement in December. I think it will be eclectic. He will not clearly decide for one side or the other. And the resolution will be in March, but I think it will be in favor of the Super League. I would like it to be at the governance table of the Superliga are the clubs and UEFA, but with the majority of the clubs to regulate the competition", he concluded.
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