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14.09.2009 12:26
Laporta: "Inter is the best start we can have"
Anna Segura
FC Barcelona president Laporta is pleased that the team are starting their defence of the Champions League with such a high profile encounter against Inter in Milan on Wednesday and assured that Messi could pen a new deal at the club this week.
Speaking to Els Matins programme on Catalunya Radio, the Blaugrana supremo spoke out different areas of the club and gave his thoughts on the current season and what his hopes and dreams are for the campaign.
Great expectations
On Wednesday Barça play their first game in the Champions League against Inter and
Laporta is relishing the challenge. "It is the best start that we could have due to the quality of
the team and what it means," he said.
Reunion with Eto’o
Laporta then reflected on the deal that saw Barça and Inter do business in the
summer with Samuel Eto'o heading to Italy and Zlatan Ibrahimovic joining the Blaugrana. "All
departures are difficult," he explained. "But it was a sporting question with the aim of continuing
the motivation that was required." On the new Swede, the president added that his signing was "to
add some much needed freshness".
Messi deal
With regard to Messi signing an extension to his current deal, Laporta
explained that he expects an agreement "this week". The Argentinian will become "the best paid
player in the squad", Laporta added.
In that sense, the Bará chief denied that there was any problem between the club, Messi and his father, who is also his agent. "He is the best player in the world and one of the best ever in the game. He is comfortable and that is why he plays like he plays."
Puyol renewal
On captain Carles Puyol and talks regarding a new deal for him, Laporta
stated that the player "wants to finish his career with Barça", but he recognised that "he may have
the desire to go" to experience other things in the game. There would be no problem if he wanted to
renew and at 31 "has been through so much with Barça". He continued: "He is a player that we want
to stay at the club and at his age he still has two more big contracts to sign."
Guardola’s contract
Pep Guardiola's contract was also spoken about and Laporta said that
nothing had yet been done because "when we could have talked about his renewel we were already
planning this season". According to the president, Guardiola is "careful" and he thinks that the
coach and Txiki Begiristain are "conditioned by the circumstances of the elections". At the same
time he also praised Guardiola's attitude, stating that "he has not taken advantage of such a good
moment".
New challenges
Looking ahead to the new campaign, Laporta recognised that repeating
the incredible feats of last term would be hard, but not impossible. "With work, effort and talent
the team can make dreams come true," he said. The Barça chief did not want to talk about h
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"Barça cannot be a remote entity"
Joan Laporta has talked about what he feels Barça represents within Catalunya and the club's
position within the country. "Barça and the president cannot be a remote entity," he said. "Barça
has always been open to these questions," regarding how important it is to the Catalan people.
Laporta was keen to deny that the club is involved in politics of certain parties and insisted that
it was about social politics and added that "Barça is the biggest sporting institution in the
country and therefore has a big influence on society".
Real Madrid's director general Jorge Valdano said this week that while Barça was inward looking, he felt his club were looking outward. Laporta did not agree: "Valdano compares Catalunya with the community of Madrid which means that he does not understand anything," he said. "Catalunya is a nation within the Spanish state and the community of Madrid is an administrative area that is part of hte constitution." He added that if Valdano thinks like that then "is says very little about the politicians that are governing a multi-national state, like they say."
With regard to Madrid and the criticism that the club has received for signing Ibrahimovic for a high price after Los Merengues had been criticised for buying Cristiano Ronaldo. "For the money that they spent on signing one player, we have signed four," Laporta stated. "We have shown a lot of common sense given the world economic crisis. We have not risked anything and have been respectful."
Real Madrid's director general Jorge Valdano said this week that while Barça was inward looking, he felt his club were looking outward. Laporta did not agree: "Valdano compares Catalunya with the community of Madrid which means that he does not understand anything," he said. "Catalunya is a nation within the Spanish state and the community of Madrid is an administrative area that is part of hte constitution." He added that if Valdano thinks like that then "is says very little about the politicians that are governing a multi-national state, like they say."
With regard to Madrid and the criticism that the club has received for signing Ibrahimovic for a high price after Los Merengues had been criticised for buying Cristiano Ronaldo. "For the money that they spent on signing one player, we have signed four," Laporta stated. "We have shown a lot of common sense given the world economic crisis. We have not risked anything and have been respectful."
