Barcelona president, Joan Laporta, spoke to “El Mundo Deportivo” ahead of the “El Clasico” that will be played on Sunday at the “Santiago Bernabéu”, also addressing the controversial issue of the match against Villarreal, which was supposed to take place in Miami.
Laporta stated that for his team, the clash with Real Madrid is always the most special match of the season:
“In an ‘El Clasico’ everything is different, it is the match of the biggest rivalry. The players are very motivated; whoever plays will give their maximum. I am convinced they will make us celebrate and that we will win at the Bernabéu, just like last season.”
Regarding the suspension of coach Hansi Flick, Laporta emphasized:
“I have said it before: without wanting to criticize the referees, there are situations that must be reviewed. The first yellow card was a referee’s decision, but then they waited for the coach’s reaction, and that seems deliberate to me. Gil Manzano could have avoided it. However, Hansi has accepted the situation calmly.”
The Catalan president then spoke about the planned match in Miami, which was later canceled.
“We respect LaLiga’s decision, but I do not agree that the competition would have been manipulated. It would have been a match to promote LaLiga and to generate significant revenue, with benefits for all clubs. It would have brought sponsorships and helped Barcelona’s image. It was a good idea. But the reaction of the players, the AFE, and the fact that Real Madrid took the case to the Sports Council (CSD) prevented this initiative. I think this decision harmed LaLiga,” he said.
