Laporta fires shots at Madrid: 'You've got to stay alert or they'll stab you in the back'
Barcelona president Joan Laporta took aim at rivals 600km away while addressing club members in Girona, doubling down on title ambitions under Flick.
Barça president doesn’t hold back in fiery address to club members, taking thinly-veiled swipes at Real Madrid while backing Hansi Flick to deliver La Liga title.
Madrid in the crosshairs
Joan Laporta was in proper fighting form yesterday in Girona, addressing Barcelona members with some choice words aimed squarely at those operating from the Spanish capital. The Barça president didn’t need to name names when referencing rivals “600km away” who are constantly looking to undermine the Catalan club.
“We’ll defend Barça from those who want to control it from 600km away. From those always trying to damage Barcelona’s reputation,” Laporta declared in what was clearly a dig at Real Madrid and the perceived Madrid-centric Spanish football establishment.
In his most pointed comment, Laporta warned: “You’ve got to stay alert or they’ll stab you in the back. And they never rest.”
Title confidence remains strong
Despite Barcelona trailing in the La Liga title race, Laporta doubled down on his belief that Hansi Flick’s side will be crowned champions come season’s end:
- Expressed complete faith in Flick’s abilities
- Referenced positive atmosphere in the dressing room
- Insisted Barcelona will win La Liga this season
“I know Flick and I know what’s happening in the dressing room, and we’re going to win La Liga,” he stated with characteristic confidence.
Shots at internal critics too
Laporta didn’t reserve his barbs solely for external enemies. He also took aim at internal opposition, suggesting some within the Barça ecosystem are unhappy with the club’s current positive trajectory.
“We must defend Barça from those who can’t accept things are going well for us and that there’s currently a high level of satisfaction at Barcelona,” he added, in what appears to be a swipe at his critics within the club’s political sphere.
The president also confirmed his continued trust in the current management team running Barcelona’s highly successful women’s football operation.