Barcelona President Joan Laporta has had as difficult a task as anyone else to take up the position in the modern era, but if he does want to stick around for a second term.
Laporta still has nearly three years before his mandate is up as President, with the next elections due in 2026. However few can rival the popular support Laporta enjoys of late, with his charisma often drawing members to follow him in his ideas.
One rival who might have threatened to torpedo that is Gerard Pique. Nicknamed ‘El President’ during his final years at the club, Pique has long been tipped to run for office at the club, but Sport say that he has no intention of doing so in the near future.
While at the Moto GP circuit at Montmelo, Pique and one of the club’s directors spoke about his new life away from football. The World Cup-winner is enjoying being directly involved with his business ventures, and is not missing football currently, and the reading between the lines, has no plans to return in the near future. Unless Pique has a change of heart, he will likely not be part of the next elections at the club.
Pique is still just 36 years of age, and appears to be enjoying some freedom from the daily commitments of football. Locking himself in for a six-year term at one of the most intense club environments in the world is understandably not the most appealing transition, after spending two decades there as a player. It should make re-election much easier for Laporta, if that is indeed his intention.
