Laporta's emotional farewell: 'I'm going to miss you all'
Barcelona president Joan Laporta bid an emotional farewell to the club's sporting sections, sharing heartfelt moments with players and staff before his departure.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta made his farewell rounds at the Ciudad Deportiva Joan Gamper training complex on Tuesday morning, bringing an emotional close to his chapter at the Catalan club.
Farewell tour
Laporta, accompanied by interim president Rafa Yuste (who’ll hold the fort until July), arrived bright and early at 9:20am - even beating some first-team players through the gates. The departing president had originally planned to visit on Monday, but Hansi Flick’s decision to grant the squad a rest day pushed the emotional goodbye back 24 hours.
The farewell tour wasn’t limited to the men’s team - Laporta made sure to bid farewell to all sporting sections including:
- Men’s first team
- Women’s first team
- Basketball squad
- Handball team
- Futsal outfit
Emotional scenes in the dressing room
Once gathered with the players and coaching staff in the dressing room, Laporta delivered a touching speech that left many feeling proper emotional. “I’m going to miss you all,” he told the assembled Barça stars, showing his human side away from the boardroom battles.
He went on to thank the players for bringing joy back to the fanbase: “You’re making culés happy, and I want to thank you for that.”
Five years in the hot seat
Reflecting on his tenure, Laporta acknowledged the privilege of leading one of world football’s most prestigious clubs. “These five years I’ve had the privilege of being president, and I think it’s gone well thanks to you - especially these last two years,” he said.
The farewell concluded with Laporta’s trademark “Visca el Barça” before he left the dressing room to applause from the players. In a particularly touching moment, the departing president shared an embrace with manager Hansi Flick - no small talk, just genuine appreciation between two men who’ve barely had time to work together.
With Laporta now stepping into the role of pre-candidate for the upcoming elections, the club enters another period of transition while maintaining their push for silverware on the pitch.