Rafa Yuste takes temporary Barça reins until July as Laporta steps aside
Barcelona's power structure shifts as Joan Laporta and key board members resign to focus on election campaign, leaving Yuste in charge during five-month transition period.
Barcelona have confirmed that Rafa Yuste will serve as interim president until July 1st, following Joan Laporta’s resignation to focus on his re-election campaign ahead of the March vote.
The handover
In a bit of a shake-up at the Camp Nou, Barça announced the temporary leadership structure that will guide the Catalan giants through the election period. Yuste, who until now served as first vice-president, steps up to the top job for what will be a five-month caretaker stint.
Laporta isn’t doing a runner - he’s simply following protocol by stepping down to campaign properly. The current president will head to the training ground tomorrow for a proper goodbye with Hansi Flick and the squad before fully diving into election mode.
Who’s in, who’s out
Laporta isn’t the only one hanging up his blazer temporarily. Several key board members have also resigned to join the election campaign:
- Elena Fort (institutional vice-president)
- Rafael Escudero (social area vice-president)
- Seven other directors including Ferran Oliver and Miquel Camps
The new-look interim board consists of:
- Rafael Yuste (president)
- Josep Cubells (vice-president and secretary)
- Alfons Castro (treasurer)
- Four additional directors: Josep Ignasi Macià, Àngel Riudalbas, Joan Solé i Sust and Sisco Pujol
Limited powers
It’s worth noting that Yuste’s temporary administration comes with significant restrictions - they can only handle ordinary club operations and won’t be able to make any major strategic decisions. It’s basically keeping the lights on until the new (or returning) president takes office on July 1st.
Election timeline
The presidential election is scheduled for March 15th, with the official campaign running from March 6-13. Candidates need 2,337 valid signatures to qualify.
Besides Laporta, three other likely candidates are in the mix:
- Víctor Font (runner-up in 2021)
- Xavi Vilajoana (former Bartomeu board member)
- Marc Ciria (formerly associated with Laporta)
There’s also William Maddock St Noble, who has declared his intention to run despite acknowledging he likely won’t secure enough signatures.
The election requires voters to be adult club members with at least one year of membership, while candidates need ten years of membership and must meet several other eligibility criteria.
It’s all a bit of a palaver, but that’s Barça politics for you - never a dull moment in Catalonia!