Joan Laporta is staying put at Barcelona. The club's members have given him another five years in charge after a convincing victory in Sunday's presidential election.
With 68% of the vote, Laporta absolutely crushed his only opponent, Victor Font. More than 48,000 of Barcelona's 114,000 members turned out to cast their ballots at Camp Nou and voting stations across Catalonia and Andorra. Font conceded defeat before the counting even finished, congratulating Laporta on his "unquestionable victory."
"Thanks to this marvelous club, where its fans still vote to decide who will be their president," Laporta said during his victory speech at Camp Nou. He was surrounded by his incoming board members, clearly relieved after a heated campaign.
From Crisis to Controversy
Laporta's first stint as president from 2003 to 2010 was legendary. Those were the glory days with Pep Guardiola coaching and a young Lionel Messi tearing up defenses. He returned in 2021 to find the club drowning in debt after years of reckless spending.
His solution was brutal but necessary. He let Messi walk to Paris Saint-Germain because Barcelona simply couldn't afford him anymore. He also sold off 25% of the club's La Liga TV rights for the next 25 years to raise quick cash.
Here's the catch though – Barcelona's debt has actually grown under his watch. It jumped from 1.3 billion euros to over 2 billion euros. Font hammered this point throughout the campaign, calling Laporta irresponsible and accusing him of destroying the club's future.
Why Members Still Backed Him
So why did Laporta win so easily? Two words: Hansi Flick. The German coach has Barcelona playing brilliant football again, and they're sitting pretty at the top of La Liga after thrashing Sevilla 5-2 on election day.
Then there's Lamine Yamal. The teenage sensation has given fans a new superstar to get excited about, filling that Messi-shaped hole in their hearts. Laporta pointed to these successes and argued he'd saved the club from total collapse and just needed more time to finish the job.
For punters keeping an eye on Barcelona's fortunes, this result means stability and continuity. The team's strong form under Flick should continue, making them solid favorites for La Liga and competitive in European competitions. Laporta has also reduced the wage bill and boosted revenues, even if the debt looks scary on paper.
Much of that increased debt comes from renovating Camp Nou, which will be completed soon and should pump more money into the club. It's a long-term play that Laporta is betting will pay off massively.
