Joan Laporta has outlined Johan Cruff, La Masia, Catalonia and Unicef as his four “pillars” if he is re-elected Barcelona President next month.
The 52-year-old oversaw four La Liga titles and two Champions Leagues among other silverware between 2003 and 2010, and he believes a return to his leadership would ensure continued success both on and off the field.
“On June 18, I applied [for the presidency]. I have energy to return to preside over the best team in the world,” his all-Catalan presentation began.
“For me, Barca are more than a club, based on [Johan] Cruyff, [La] Masia, Catalonia and Unicef. These are the pillars of the club and our proposal.
“[Cruyff] changed the philosophy of the club, created a winning mentality and a philosophy that is admired worldwide.
“This philosophy has allowed us to win all the titles we could win. We did it with Txiki Begiristain, Frank Rijkaard, Pep Guardiola and it’s continued with Luis Enrique.
“We have to maintain this philosophy in order to lay the groundwork for the future. We have forgotten the victimhood of the past.
“This philosophy is one of the foundations of our Barca model. [La Masia] is an issue of identity. It has to teach [its players] our values.
“Talent is not enough. [Players] must be taught the culture of effort and teamwork. We train people who can then become footballers.
“Seeing players from La Masia reach the first team pushes us to bet on this base.
“I’ve returned because I think I need to re-lay the foundations of the club’s prodigious [last] decade.
“La Masia has not worked as expected [since then] and we must recover in this regard.
“We understand that we’re a cosmopolitan club, but we have a strong and clear commitment to the processes in Catalonia.
“My project is Catalan with respect for all languages and cultures, but also for our own.
“Reaching agreements with organisations which deal with the suffering of people make us stronger. We must return to the world what the world gives Barca. That makes us great.
“Barca are admired worldwide for their football, but what gives me fulfilment is to be admired for giving something back to the world.
“There’s a club called FC Barcelona with a special sensitivity to the suffering of people, especially children.
“We’re fighting so that there’s no discrimination. We want Unicef to return to the front of Barca shirts.
“[On Espai Barca], we will respect the decision of the socios in the referendum. If we win, I will request an interview with Ada Colau [mayor of Catalonia] to reach an agreement on the project.
“There’s been a lot of deliberate propaganda [regarding the club’s finances]. We will give quarterly information on the financial situation of the club.”
