Vilajoana slams Laporta's Barça reign as 'private playground' amid election campaign
Barcelona presidential candidate Xavier Vilajoana warns the club is 'in danger' but believes it can still be saved as March 15 election officially kicks off.
Barcelona’s presidential election race officially began today, with candidate Xavier Vilajoana not pulling any punches about the current state of the Catalan giants.
‘Club in danger’
Vilajoana has come out swinging against Joan Laporta’s leadership, painting a picture of a Barcelona teetering on the brink. The presidential hopeful didn’t mince his words, warning that the club faces a “critical moment” institutionally.
“The club is in danger, but we can still save it,” Vilajoana declared, clearly positioning himself as the remedy to Barça’s current ailments. He’s adamant the club cannot continue functioning as what he described as a president’s “private playground”.
The candidate, who’ll open his campaign headquarters this Wednesday, believes the upcoming March 15 election represents a crucial opportunity to reclaim Barcelona’s identity and put it back in service of its members, fans and future generations.
Experience as his trump card
Vilajoana isn’t some Johnny-come-lately to the Barcelona scene. He’s leaning heavily on his 20+ years of association with the club, including:
- Experience as a professional player
- Leadership roles at La Masia
- Oversight of Barcelona Femení
- Management of youth football development
This extensive CV forms the backbone of his pitch to the socios, arguing he has both the knowledge and experience to lead a team capable of restoring Barcelona to its former glory.
Postal voting controversy
In a proper two and eight (state), Vilajoana has also criticised the decision not to allow postal voting in the upcoming election. He argues this unnecessarily restricts participation when the club should be doing everything possible to maximize member involvement.
“It makes no sense to use available legal resources only when convenient,” he stated, suggesting the current board is cherry-picking which democratic tools to implement.
The competition
The March 15 election is shaping up to be a proper battle. Besides current president Laporta, three other pre-candidates are expected to run:
- Víctor Font (runner-up in 2021)
- Xavier Vilajoana (former Bartomeu board member)
- Marc Ciria (previously associated with Laporta)
Each candidate needs to secure 2,337 valid signatures to formalize their candidacy, with some potentially joining forces to create a unified platform against Laporta.