The future of Barcelona would be in real danger if Joan Laporta is elected as the club’s next president, according to rival candidate Toni Freixa.
The two are among the leading figures in the race to be the club’s next president, with the election – which is to be held on 24 January – currently dominating Barcelona news.
Laporta – who was president of Barcelona between 2003 and 2010 – is one of the frontrunners for the Catalan club’s presidency.
Freixa told an interview with Marca: “The members know very well who Laporta is and how he managed Barça. He left a club with a debt of €450m and with an annual turnover below that figure. If Laporta is elected, the club will be in real danger.”
Freixa served on the board under former incumbents Sandro Rosell and Josep Maria Bartomeu but left the board in 2015.
52-year-old Freixa, who is a lawyer by trade, finished bottom of the pile in the 2015 presidential elections at the club with just 3.7 percent of the vote – 1,750 votes – but is hopeful of building on that this time round.
Freixa has been criticised as a so-called continuity candidate of the previous boards whom he worked under, but he insisted he would be a break from those former presidents.
The only true candidate whom I’ll support is the one who will manage to keep the best football player in world with club. Anyone who will not manage to keep Leo would be a waste of time.
The only true candidate whom I’ll support is the one who will manage to keep the best football player in world with club. Anyone who will not manage to keep Leo would be a waste of time. We need Leo with the team.