It is Laporta's turn to take action. He has promised a renewal and a new cycle. It is difficult to start a new cycle when the best player in the club's history continues and the cycle bears his name, Messi, but Laporta has faith in reinventing Barça. This time he doesn't have Txiki by his side. Nor to that genius who was Cruyff, and who was his best advisor for years. But Laporta has already done it successfully on two occasions.
Laporta he acceded to the presidency in the summer of 2003. Young, bold, and with tremendous energy, he signed Rijkaard as coach and shook the roster like hell. Frank de Boer, Rochemback, Bonano, Dani, Cristanval, Alfonso, Andersson, Geovanni, Riquelme, Sorín, Enke, Fernando Navarro, Trashorras left … Some, like Bonano and Dani, were forced to train separately to force de exit in a controversial decision … More than a dozen casualties and ups that offered a great performance to the team such as Ronaldinho, Márquez or Van Bronckhorst. Other players with much more debatable performance also arrived, such as Quaresma or Rustu. A key signing was Edgar Davids, who landed mid-season from Juventus when Barça were reeling. And, finally, Iniesta, Valdés and Oleguer definitely stayed in the first team. The definitive step of this revolution took place in the 2004-05 season, when Barça signed Etoo, Larsson, Giuly, Edmilson, Deco, Belletti and Sylvinho. That year, he regained the league title and, the following year, he lifted the Champions League.
Laporta and Roaldinho, at the signing of their contract.
Alberto Martin (EFE)
Laporta's second revolution became mandatory in 2008, when Ronaldinho's Barça complacency culminated in a corridor at the Bernabéu, humiliated against Madrid on the field and with the team almost 20 points behind in LaLiga. It was then that Laporta called Guardiola and made the determination to do without Ronaldinho and Deco, who had given glory to Barça. Also from Zambrotta, Edmilson, Gio, Thuram or Oleguer. In return, he incorporated a powerful player who gave Barça another march, Daniel Alves, that would end up giving a hundred aists at Barça. And with the Brazilian, Keita also came from Sevilla. Laporta also signed Martín Cáceres and Busquets and Pedro, a genius full of Guardiola's talent. The result was the Sextete.
The third revolution may be the most difficult for Laporta. First, because of the economic situation that Barça is going through, which makes it difficult to think that they will be able to sign a Ronaldinho who will restore joy and enthusiasm to the fans. Neymar's probe did not last long and Haaland is ruled out because Barça has focused on the renewal of Messi. The most advanced signings are those of Èric García and Aguero. At first glance, too little. And secondly, because many of the players discussed are legends. Removing them from the club, especially with the contracts they have, does not seem easy. The objective of Laporta's third revolution is to give a dozen casualties and pull exchanges to achieve a middle class that will once again strengthen the team and surround Messi well. But that is not a revolution or a new cycle. It is one more evolution of Messi's Barça …