It happened in extremis. So much so that the Barcelona team itself learned the news when it arrived at the stadium, with the call approved and the eleven defined in Flick’s head. There was just over an hour left until the semi-final of the Spanish Super Cup began. That one, by the way, that is played in Saudi Arabia, for the glory of the Federation – it pockets 20 million of the 40 that it charges for carrying the trophy 5,000 kilometers away from Spain – and the coffers of the four participating clubs, especially Madrid and Barça, who take most of the loot – about six million each, compared to two from Athletic and 850,000 from Mallorca; That’s not counting the prize for the finalists. Since the competition is held in Saudi lands, collaborating with its policy of sportswashingit has always been like this. But it never hurts to remember it.
Now, back to the topic of the day. The Higher Sports Council, that is, the Government, after all, had saved Laporta. He granted a precautionary measure to Barça that renewed the licenses of Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor. At least, for now, while the Barça club’s appeal is resolved. The footballers found out on the bus. Olmo’s smile upon his arrival at the Al Jawhara stadium, in Jeddah, gave a good account of the relief, of the previous suffering. Much less discreet was the president, Joan Laporta, in the bowels of the Saudi camp: he ostentatiously hugged Enric Masip, his right-hand man, shouted and shouted. Rio. Seconds later he shouted again, in true CR7 style, that advertising man with quadriceps of steel who now glorifies the wonders of Arabia.
To whom was that cut of sleeves directed? He should have dedicated it to the opposition. The one that has asked for his resignation, distressed by the balance of the club that has pompously celebrated its 125 years as one of the great entities of Catalonia in one of the most delicate moments from an institutional point of view.
Perhaps he also dedicated it to Javier Tebas, the boss of LaLiga, tired of saving his skin, of turning a blind eye, of trusting that the club will balance the accounts and respect the rule of the fair play financial. Barça arrived late and badly this time. And no one looked the other way. Neither did the new president of the Federation, Rafael Louzán, who had the last word after Laporta activated the last lever of these years of financial engineering.
It is not difficult to imagine how many others were stung by that cut of sleeves. It is not strange to think that it stung all of football. For disrespectful, ungrateful and in bad taste. It stung, we heard, for his rival in the semi-final. Amazing or grotesque were the adjectives used by the president of Athletic, Jon Uriarte, when he heard the news. Let him mind his business, Deco snapped shortly after. His affairs, like those of the rest of the presidents of the League clubs, involve the competitions in which he participates with a squad adjusted to his budget and financial needs. Without favors or levers. The other is called comparative tort.
The precautionary measure against Olmo and Víctor, fortunately for the footballers, who are not at fault, does not exempt Laporta and his board from poor management, terrible planning and worse internal communication. As of December 31, its accounts were not in order. Those of his rivals do.
And now that the CSD throws him a lifeline in the middle of the storm, Laporta has no better response than a cut of his sleeves that, whether he wants it or not, has multiple recipients. The image of Barcelona as a club, sorry, more than a clubcracks.
