Other renewals that can concern the Catalans: Araujo and Gavi. How’s that?
Well, this is on the right track. Yes, they are players that we want to continue, within these salary levels that we are establishing. We would like them to continue for many years.
There is no need to be worried about their cases.
Well, they are negotiating and everything is going perfectly normally with Araujo and Gavi.
Would they be prepared for a new Ilaix case to occur?
We are always prepared, if there is a player who does not adapt to the salary levels for whatever reasons, which are very legal and respectable, thinks that he does not have to be within this salary structure, we try to reach an agreement, which may take so so. With Ilaix it took longer than we all would have liked but it’s gone.
One of the captains, Sergi Roberto, also ends his contract. Is there any news?
At the moment this is in the hands of the representatives. Sergi Roberto is a player that we have a lot of appreciation for, personally, he has given many years of glory and a lot of football to Barça, now he is recovering from an injury and his contract is ending. He was offered the renewal at the time, he even intervened so that there were conditions in consensus with the two parties and they did not want to sign that renewal. So we understand that since they didn’t want to sign and now his contract is ending… We’ll see, because he is a player that we have to have special consideration and deference to because he has been part of a glorious stage in Barça’s history. That will focus on talking to him and making things clear for both parties.
Does the current situation remind you of your first season? There was a comeback in the League but it was not enough to win it.
Yes, it is a pending account of a season that could end with the League title. It wasn’t like that and now I hope that it ends as it had to end, winning the League.
For whom were you happier for the 0-4?
First, because my son was turning 25 and he went to Madrid with friends and I told him it would be his birthday present and it was. Afterwards I was happy for Raimon Carrasco and the family, who I know were very attentive. Carrasco turned 50 with a 0-5 win at the Bernabéu and died with a 0-4 win at the Bernabéu. I know them a lot and I dedicate it to him. And then for the joy that he represented for Barcelona fans. Winning in this way always generates self-esteem, pride, and you noticed it at the end of the game, when we arrived in Barcelona, when we went to celebrate it, and these days are good times. Imagine two weeks without football and enjoying that 0-4. The culés are proud and we have returned the joy to the barcelonismo and this is fantastic.
Many culés were waiting for the 0-5, another little hand. The president too?
I was enjoying the game and I saw that we were far superior in terms of the way we played. They were coming in and more could have come in, but I wasn’t paying attention to the score, I was paying attention to how we played.
Did you see Florentino very upset?
It’s not nice, he was also surprised because he didn’t expect it. Madrid came from a great victory in the Champions League and I imagine they expected more. But they found a very well trained Barça, with a winning mentality, very well tactically. Xavi is doing spectacular and I also see the team physically very prepared because we came from playing on Thursday in Istanbul and there were no signs of fatigue, that the team was down physically. On the contrary, Xavi has a dynamic that when he sees that the piston is lowered a little, he immediately has replacements that maintain the level. We surprised them quite a bit and he was correct, as always. We know that sometimes these things happen.
(+) Watch the complete interview with Joan Laporta
Joan Laporta, president of FC Barcelona, has granted an interview to MD to answer the most topical questions about Barça such as the possible arrival of reinforcements in the next transfer market, the renewals of key players of the team or the financial situation of the club.
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