After 37 minutes of monologue, it was Laporta's turn to submit to questions from the 70 accredited media at the Camp Nou Auditorium 1899. The president answered what interested him and how he was interested, becoming strong in a series of pattern ideas that were the engine of his responses. Between defense and attack to reach the conclusion that Barcelona has not committed any criminal offense or sports corruption, that everything is part of a campaign and that not even from the point of view of the image did the club commit any impropriety . "Paying the Negreiras was not incompatible with sports ethics," said the Barcelona leader.
Laporta defended the payment of 1.5 million to the Negreiras during his first term and also the fact that he raised the emoluments for these reports. "More was paid because there were more competitions in the 2009-2010 campaign and therefore we commissioned more reports."
Some reports that were already paid before Laporta arrived at Barça in 2003 and continued to be made until 2018, affecting four presidents. Despite this, Laporta considers that an appearance by the four leaders is not necessary. “It would be playing the game of those who seek to destabilize and lynch us. Now the matter is already in judicial process. A priori I have no reason to distrust what my successors did. I am convinced that they did nothing to alter the sporting results," said the president.
Another thing, and he repeated it over and over again, is that some people individually could have behaved irregularly. "This is the hypothesis that the Public Prosecutor is working on and if that were the case we would be victims and harmed and we would defend our interests." It was his response to the various questions that brought up the name of the late Josep Contreras, who dealt directly with the Negreira companies. "It is always said that he was a director of Barcelona, but he was not, he was a member of different commissions but he was not part of the board."
What Laporta also insisted on is that the main service provider was not the vice president of the referees, but his son. “A qualified person, who also worked for the FEF, for Fenerbahce and other clubs. He is a person who is not in the case or as a witness ”.
The investigation carried out externally for Barcelona has been on the period 2014-2018 because before the club no longer has documentation on the matter. "This type of document is destroyed every five years," argued the president. Therefore, the investigation has only been carried out on a period with Rosell and Bartomeu in charge. Despite this, Laporta defended the honor of his first period in the easy chair. "During my tenure I can assure you that no one put their hand in the box."
Regarding the total amount paid (7.3 million), he asked that it be contextualized. “It seems like an astronomical amount but you have to take into account that it was for 18 years.”
Laporta was convinced that Barcelona will not be found guilty. "We will be exempted from any criminal liability." Another question is if any sporting sanction arrives, especially through the investigation opened by UEFA. “Ceferin (UEFA president) has not entered the rag of the lynching of the president of LaLiga. He is opting for prudence. "As I am convinced that they will exempt us, we will continue playing in Europe as normal."
Despite the fact that Madrid has appeared as a private accusation in the Negreira case, the Blaugrana president does not consider that this is going to break the common front in the Super League. “We are in this project to defend the sustainability of the clubs, not because Madrid or Juventus are there. Therefore, in this sense, this does not have to affect but I did not like what Madrid has done”. In this sense, he recognized that relations with the white club have suffered. "Institutionally, the relations with Madrid and Florentino are touched. The classics are the best show in the world, it is a relationship of maximum rivalry. There is an institutional harmony damaged by this decision by Madrid, they have rushed, it is something improper for a club like Madrid. They have been belligerent".
Nor, of course, did he like what the president of LaLiga has done, whom he called an "arsonist firefighter". He will have the opportunity to say it to his face next Wednesday at the League meeting. "I'm going. I hope they let me speak to explain to the other 41 clubs what this Negreira case has consisted of"
Regarding the fact that Javier Tebas had received money from Mallorca in 2014 for some reports when he was already a vice president of LaLiga, he described it as an "exercise of hypocrisy".
During these two months, Laporta has not considered resigning. "On the contrary, I feel strong enough to defend the club in this case and in those that come. If they come after me, then let them come but I understand that it is not the case, it would be unreasonable".
With the same emphasis, he defended that the club has urged its members to denounce the journalists and media that they consider are trying to harm Barça. "We are not going after anyone, if not we try to defend ourselves from those who harm Barça's honor. We are trying to get justice done by filing legal actions. We have had around twenty lawsuits".
After an hour and a half of face-to-face with the informants, one of the most anticipated press conferences in recent years ended.
