Laporta saves the accounts in the assembly despite the 91 million losses

2024-10-19 11:39:00

BarcelonaJoan Laporta carried out a good part of his presidency in this Saturday’s assembly. A year and a half after the end of his mandate, he appeared before the trustees with the task of defending some controversial accounts, with 91 million in losses and with an exception added by the auditors, who considered that the negative numbers should still be higher The Barça coach and his fellow advisors had the double mission of justifying themselves and convincing them that their management was good enough to overlook this point. And they came out with an overwhelming majority: 452 votes in favor against only 156 against.

There was a certain nervousness in the management group due to the notable presence of trustees, which rose to almost a thousand (927), far exceeding the 644 of a year ago. For this reason he responded by deploying all the artillery possible, both in the preview – which included an interview with the president – and during the assembly, which began with the presentation of an emotional video, continued with a half-hour speech by Laporta, lasting the pedagogy of treasurer Ferran Olivé on economic matters and a speech by Xavier Sala-i-Martín, former sporting vice-president of Laporte and current Blaugrana mediator.

Shoot the president first. More than a season balance sheet, it was a mandate balance sheet where there was no shortage of reproaches to an opposition that insistently asked to overturn the club’s accounts. “We have heeded the catastrophic proclamations of some who are neither there nor expected,” he said at the outset. He asked for a favorable vote, justifying that it is necessary to “maintain institutional stability and remain more united than ever” and warning that a negative vote “weakens” the club at a time when “we cannot show weakness”. Finally, he complained that the council he chaired “fights against everything and everyone”, citing the Negreira case directly but implying that the message was also for the other presidential candidates.

Then Ferran Olivé intervened, in charge of presenting the company’s accounts following the resignation of Eduard Romeu, former economic vice-president. Psychiatrist by profession, he carried out a pedagogical exercise to increase the positive side of the accounts and minimize the conflict with Bridgeburg, due to the missed payments of Barça Vision. He spoke about the increase in turnover, underlined the reduction in wages and clarified that the price to pay to play at Montjuïc will make him stop earning 100 million. “If we had reasoned with the mandate we would not have done anything. But we were courageous and thought about the future”, he insisted as a preamble to talking about digital business, the stone in the Blaugrana Conti’s shoe. The referees seemed satisfied, given the ovation – much louder than with Laporta –. The council is breathing and Carme Hortalà, vice-president of the economic commission, has given a final push by approving the accounts, especially with the “drastic reduction” of expenses.

There was one last obstacle missing, the round of questions, always touching. Even if the formula of the telematic assembly, in which only the board of directors and the senators have the right to intervene in person, streamlines things in the council. Nothing to do with those questions in public, which were accompanied by ovations or murmurs and contributed to generating a climate of animosity or trust towards the president of the day. Not even the media could be present. Everyone watched from afar. And the performance taught in spades, with Ferran Olivé kindly answering all doubts, especially arising from Barça Vision. Sala y Martín seemed to lend a helping hand to his friend Laporta, justifying his extreme management. The council got away with it and the numbers got the green light.