Barcelona President Joan Laporta
Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images
Speaking to the media earlier today, FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta launched a strong criticism of Real Madrid over their position in the Negreira case and their institutional relationships within football and basketball.
It is no secret that both Barcelona and Real Madrid are at total war, with the relationship between the two institutions currently at the lowest it has been in ages.
Real Madrid continue to fight Barça over the Negreira case, with the matters recently getting escalated after the club submitted a large dossier of documents to UEFA to support their accusations and calling for sanctions against the Catalans.
Laporta hits back at Real Madrid
Real Madrid’s actions have not gone down well at Barcelona, with Laporta now taking shots at the Spanish capital club.
The Barça president began by praising the club’s current form, describing it as a “sweet moment”.
“We are enjoying the football and the club, and we are receiving recognition around the world,” he started, as quoted by Mundo Deportivo.
“We have nine players in the squad who have been world champions, a team that captures people’s imagination, players who are role models, and we are receiving praise from all sides. From Madrid, they are trying to play all of this down,” he added.
Florentino Perez, Real Madrid president, Joan Laporta, Barcelona president
Laporta has lashed out at Real Madrid. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
Laporta then returned to Real Madrid’s role in the Negreira case, insisting that Barcelona had been judged in the court of public opinion before the legal process had run its course.
“I will never stop saying that they tried to condemn us before putting us on trial. It is being demonstrated that there was nothing behind the accusations made against us.
“This will end with Barcelona being acquitted. Those who have relentlessly and constantly tried to damage Barcelona’s image will have to retract their claims,” he declared.
He also criticised the length of the investigation, arguing that the case was being prolonged to keep the controversy alive.
“They are dragging out the proceedings for as long as they can to keep this whole thing alive, but it is going nowhere. It is intended to discredit Barcelona. I do not believe they are doing it innocently,” Laporta added.
Real Madrid President, Florentino Perez and FC Barcelona President, Joan Laporta
Barcelona and Real Madrid are at war. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
Real Madrid accused of arrogance over institutional relations
Laporta also addressed Real Madrid’s absence from meetings involving European Football Clubs and the EuroLeague, using the issue to question the club’s approach to institutional relationships.
“It says a lot about the attitude of a club that is losing prestige, recognition and credibility at national, state and international level. That is clear to see,” he firmly stated.
“They are choosing an attitude that is very haughty and very arrogant, and they will have to decide for themselves what they want to do. They should engage in some self-criticism.”
The Barcelona president’s comments represent another forceful intervention in the increasingly strained relationship between the two Spanish giants, with the Negreira case continuing to fuel tensions between the clubs.
Real Madrid superstar might be ‘annoyed’ by club’s backing of Mbappe for Ballon d’Or – report
Vinicius Jr., Real Madrid player
Vinicius Jr., Real Madrid player
Having not won any trophies last season, Real Madrid is not heavy on the Ballon d’Or campaign so far this year, and understandably so given that they do not have the results to back them.
Kylian Mbappe, however, has begun and maintained a strong campaign of his own in recent weeks and is openly portraying himself as a strong frontrunner for the award.
Having been the top-scorer of virtually every top event he played, there is indeed a strong case to be made for Mbappe. His inability to win a single trophy with club or country, however, is the single-biggest hurdle.
Internal politics on the rise
Last month, there was a strong report in the Spanish media that Mbappe was unhappy with Real Madrid for not backing his claim and campaign to be the Ballon d’Or winner.
Kylian Mbappe, Real Madrid superstar
Mbappe is pushing for the Ballon d’Or. (Photo by Burak Kara/Getty Images)
Now, as reported by Mario Cortegana, there could be an element of internal politics involved in the development.
A source close to a player who maintains good relations with both Mbappe and Vinicius has reportedly opened up and admitted that the Brazilian star might be annoyed by Real Madrid’s backing of Mbappe for the Ballon d’Or.
It is unknown if the club’s relative silence on the topic has anything to do with the Brazilian star’s sentiments, but it is clear that there is an internal divide in the dressing room.
A need to reconcile
The idea of bringing Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid was always spoken of in the same context as Vinicius Jr.’s sense of responsibility.
Kylian Mbappe. Vinicius Jr., Real Madrid players
It simply is not working out. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)
There was a sense that bringing in a second superstar would ease the load on Vinicius’ shoulders, and that the duo could thrive together and achieve the highest of peaks.
In reality, however, Vinicius and Mbappe have seldom managed to create any regular output, and the former’s stature has progressively reduced to an all-time low.
The report of Vinicius’ sentiment controlling Real Madrid’s support of Mbappe further hints at a divide between the two players, and possibly even the dressing room.
At this point in Real Madrid’s story, where the club continue to suffer and remain far from their best, there is an immediate need to move past personal rivalries and unite for the betterment of the team.