Barcelona are currently looking at a summer of sales of major players in order to fill the burgeoning gap between their wage bill and salary limit, amid a series of concerning numbers for the Blaugrana. Former presidential rival of Joan Laporta, Victor Font, has pointed out that Laporta’s running of the club is being advised by one of Florentino Perez‘s close associates.
Font gave an interview this week where he called for more sustainable practices and a modernisation of the business, criticising Laporta in the process
“The sociological Real Madrid thing is something we all know. What doesn’t make sense is that when we have to choose between Messi and Florentino, we choose the president of Madrid,” he noted to RAC1, as covered by Sport.
“Anas Laghrari, who is one of Florentino’s trusted men, is advising Barça. In some circles they have heard that Florentino has said: ‘Who would have thought that I would be helping Barca?’ Well yes, Florentino is helping Barca and it is not explained to us.”
Font refers to Anas Laghrari, a senior partner at Key Capital Partners and co-founder of A22, the business organising the Superleague for Real Madrid and Barcelona. Laghrari has worked with Perez before for his construction business ACS, and then again to work out a deal for the Santiago Bernabeu funding with Sixth Street.
It was to the same company that Barcelona sold their TV rights, and Lahgrari’s Key Capital partners have also been employed by Laporta and Barcelona to consult in all of their economic lever deals.
Font also warned that last season’s success should not cover up concerning practices at Barcelona, as the 2015 treble did, propelling Josep Maria Bartomeu from a likely loser in the elections to a comfortable winner.
“Winning a league does not guarantee success; the great frustration is how winning is sometimes a problem. The 2015 treble brought problems: the problems were buried with the successes and we entered the worst stretch in the club’s contemporary history. There has to be a good diagnosis.”
