FCBARCELONA.CAT

24.12.2009 10:54

Laporta: "Pep needs time"

www.fcbarcelona.cat

FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta has spoken openly about his time at the helm of the Blaugrana in an interview with Barça TV’s Vicent Sanchis.

“Pep needs some time to reflect and consider the decision that will be a very important one in his life. He has overseen the best season in the history of Barça. He is conscious of the responsibility to continue winning. We all want to win everything one again and we need to take away some of this pressure. For him the question of renewal is a vital one and the sporting side is not, although his family is. That is to say that we have to convince him that we can continue to be successful,” he said in the interview about plans to extend the coach’s stay at the club.

Referee role

"As president of the club I have to remain away from it because it can be complicated. From inside you know what it means to be president of Barça. If you are sensible it is not something that can be done without much forethought. On the board there are very clever and responsible people. We will have a group that will maintain our plans and improve upon them. Now if there is more than one candidate then they should be respected. There are some very well-qualified people on the board and they have proven that they know how to run Barça and know what needs to be done. My position is to referee everyone who is present," he continued when asked about the his role in the forthcoming club assemblies.

Great players

“The best thing for me during my presidency has been to see a group of players who I have liked. I have been very lucky. All the players that have been here, at whatever time, have been like younger brothers to me and if I had to remark on any one thing during my presidency then it would be the relationship I have had with the players.”

Press relations

Laporta then reflected on his relationship with the media. He stated that the Spanish media "has not digested and would not digest the 2-6 in the Bernabéu".

As for his political aspirations Laporta defended everything that he had done, by adding: "Everything that I have done I have done from my heart."