Barcelona president Joan Laporta has set the stage for a fiery clash, passionately defending Barcelona’s unique identity against Real Madrid.
Using the platform of La Llotja del 125, Laporta gave a fiery response in terms of Barça’s unique identity to advocates of Madrid.
Speaking to young fans, Joan Laporta contrasted the two Spanish giants with significant emphasis on Barça being about freedom and homegrown talent rather than the power of Madrid, as per Mundo Deportivo.
“Madrid is about power, while we are about freedom and identity,” Laporta said, underlining that Barcelona’s identity is built on his club’s design of using La Masia, rather than Madrid paying for expensive players, which has logistically been a whole lot more.
In doing so, he also suggests that the club has returned to its core values and identity under the previous leadership of Hansi Flick and the current players, including the likes of Lamine Yamal, Gavi, and Pau Cubarsi.
It should be noted that the comments were pointed directly at Madrid’s idea of a “Galáctico” philosophy, and that to him, it doesn’t possess the soul of Barcelona’s member-owned structure.
True to the club’s philosophy, he said, “Barça is more than a club,” and criticized those who criticized the club’s structure as having “hidden agendas.”
Joan Laporta also commented on battling with financial woes and the temporary ground share at Montjuic, while acknowledging the loyalty and commitment of both fans and socios.
“We have gone through the most difficult situations and today, Barça is back to being a global reference,” he told the assembled media. “It has been a collective effort.”
His rhetorical intensity reflects the purity of Barcelona’s Catalan identity and its connections to an existing and distinctive philosophy of football, with the team not just a competitor, but a “cultural” institution.
As the rivalry with Real Madrid becomes ever more heated, Laporta’s confidence suggests that the club is prepared to dominate matters both on and off the pitch.
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