The first face-to-face electoral debate between the candidates for the upcoming FC Barcelona elections, Joan Laporta and Víctor Font, took place earlier today.
There were a lot of sparks flying between the two candidates as they hit back at each other’s policies ahead of the elections on 15 March.
The debate produced one of the most tense moments of the discussion when both presidential hopefuls confronted each other over their sporting models for the future of the club.
The exchange of accusations revolved around three key names – Deco, Hansi Flick and Lamine Yamal, and around a deeper question: how the club should be structured in the coming years.
On Hansi Flick and Deco
Font defended the need to further professionalise the sporting structure of the club.
The candidate explained that his project proposes replacing the single figure of the sporting director, Deco, with a trio made up of Carles Planchart, Albert Puig and Francesc Cos, all of whom he described as having “previous experience during successful periods of Barça.”
According to Font, this formula would allow Hansi Flick to work with a stronger organisational structure.
“With this experience we will have a structure that does not exist right now,” Font argued.
The candidate, who finished second in the 2021 elections, also insisted that Flick is satisfied at the club and that the key to his continuity lies in providing stability and long-term sporting planning.
“Flick is delighted here and has a contract. We’re working on a structure that provides him with what he asks for – stability and signings,” he said.
He added that the current squad has the quality to compete for every trophy.
“We have a top-level squad that can compete for everything. We’ve had a fairly favourable Champions League draw. I’m sure those in the know can see there are positions that need strengthening,” he said.
“The sporting director will have to address this. They’ll explain it.”
For Laporta, suggesting that Font’s proposed trio would do a better job than Deco was an insult to the Portuguese executive.
“To say that these three people know more than Deco is an insult,” Laporta stated, placing the former Portuguese international among the best sporting directors in the club’s history alongside Txiki Begiristain.
The president, who is seeking reelection, also warned that changing the current organisational chart could endanger the first-team project that has been built.
“If you put Flick at risk without Deco, you’d ruin a project that inspires hope. The team Flick has is thanks to Deco. It’s a competitive and young team,” he said.
Laporta also reiterated that the German coach values his working relationship with the sporting director.
“Flick has said he’s happy with Deco, and if they remove him, he won’t be. You have to be happy, and that’s not easy,” said Laporta.
“You have to have positive discussions between the coach and the sporting director. This enriches the sporting project. That’s not the case with Font’s sporting project,” he added.
On Lamine Yamal
When discussing the club’s commitment to academy talent, Laporta highlighted one decision that he believes reflects his faith in the club’s young players: rejecting an offer of €250 million from PSG for Lamine Yamal, whose contract runs until 2031.
“It’s one of the things I’m most proud of,” he asserted.
Font quickly retorted, “Do you know who signed him? Albert Puig,” mentioning one of the key figures in his sporting project.
Source: Mundo Deportivo
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