This Sunday Barça elects the 42nd president in its history. Broadly speaking, this is a profile of the three candidates and their programs.
Joan Laporta: The hope that Messi will continue
Joan Laporta Estruch (6-29-1962, Barcelona), a lawyer by profession and president of Barça between 2003 and 2010, represents a candidate halfway between nostalgia for the past and illusion for the future. “I was the change in 2003; now I am again,” sums up Laporta, who yesterday walked relaxed down the Diagonal, confident and with “winning morals” on the day of reflection. His slogan, Estimem el Barça, wants to touch the fiber of the member and bring him closer to a club that has been governed not only erratically, but also coldly, in recent years.
Laporta is sold as the president of experience and leadership. In addition to his right hand and henchman, Rafa Yuste, Laporta brings Mateu Alemany by the hand as future CEO. And although he has not announced them, Jordi Cruyff and Puyol are in his portfolio. Laporta wanted to emphasize that he is the only hope for Messi to renew. His canvas in Madrid (“want to see you again”) shook the campaign; what he intended, to be an illusion for the people. If he is president, Barça will issue bonds to have quick liquidity. He will also submit to a referendum the possibility of playing two years in Montjuïc while the Camp Nou is being remodeled.
Víctor Font: Xavi's silence damages a serious project
Víctor Font Manté (12-8-1972, Granollers), businessman co-founder of Delta Partners Group, remains convinced that around 11pm he will take Barça into the 21st century. Font started working on the Sí al Futur project more than five years ago. Piece by piece, Font has built solid teams in the sports, economic and social areas; and he has prestigious his candidacy with names such as Toni Nadal and Dr. Ramon Cugat. The jewel in the crown of this idea, however, was Xavi Hernández. Long conversations led Xavi to design an organization chart that would include fans of La Masia such as Joan Vilà, Paco Seiru · lo or Albert Benaiges; with a division of up to 37 departments in the sports area. Completeness and method. After gambling by announcing that Koeman would not continue next season (then he rectified) because his coach was Xavi, since Qatar has not heard nor 'mu'.
Font proposes more participation of the partner, the implementation of technology in the social life of the club, the reduction of 150 million in the salary bill. A healthy and regenerated club. But the table has remained lame without Xavi.
Toni Freixa: 550 million injection and Haaland's dream
If an electoral campaign is promises, Antoni Freixa i Martí (8-10-1968, Barcelona) he can fuel hopes of being the 42nd president in Barça history. Freixa has announced the injection of 550 million euros for the club. Of these, 250 would come from Barça Corporate; and 300, from a sponsorship agreement for the shirt of a Silicon Valley company, which will pay 60 million euros each of the next five seasons.
Freixa has promised the arrival of two differential cracks in attack and a high-level defense to Barça for the 2021-22 season. Posibilista, insists that it is possible to reconcile Nuñismo and Cruyffismo and ensures that Barça must move away from the powers that be, remain independent and be above everything. Hence his motto from Fidels to Barça.
He also knows how to be belligerent. He assures that he has not had the media support of his rivals and defends the good things that Bartomeu and, above all, Rosell left behind. He does not want to go to Montjuïc, but rather to execute the Espai Barça project. He prefers to see Xavi first in the subsidiary, like Guardiola. Close to the rocks, he knows the club by heart. Believe it is your time.