A fiery message from Laporta ahead of the Barcelona elections

Former Barcelona president Joan Laporta made strong statements during his visit to Girona to present his electoral platform in preparation for his bid to run again for the club's presidency. He asserted that some referees "harm us when they officiate our matches," pointing to what he described as "difficult-to-explain dynamics" in refereeing decisions against the Catalan team . During his meeting with club members and fans, Laporta outlined the main points of his electoral program, which carries the slogan "Let's defend Barcelona," before addressing the issue of refereeing at length. He stressed the need to avoid falling into the trap of constant complaining, as this "is not befitting a club the size of Barcelona," in his words. However, he also asserted that he observes a refereeing bias against the team and in favor of its direct rivals . Laporta explained that the club sent an official letter to the Spanish Football Federation, the body to which the referees' technical committee reports. He indicated that the letter contained documented arguments and what he described as "indisputable" facts, following some controversial incidents in the recent Girona match. He added that Barcelona cannot simply complain; it must voice its opinion to the relevant authorities and work to improve the system. However, he emphasized that there are referees who "repeatedly make mistakes," as he put it, where decisions are made against Barcelona in similar situations, while being awarded differently in favor of other teams, which he considered "outrageous." Laporta stated that some parties "cannot tolerate what Barcelona represents or what it can achieve sportingly," especially given that it has a competitive team capable of competing in various tournaments. He asserted that when the team goes through a period of decline, "they try to crush us," while other teams in similar circumstances receive assistance. Despite the intensity of his remarks, he stressed that the best response would be to deliver a stronger performance and improve the team to overcome any obstacles, adding, "I'll keep my anger to myself." Regarding the future of Argentine legend Lionel Messi, Laporta affirmed that Messi deserves a commemorative statue similar to the one erected for Johan Cruyff. He also expressed the club's readiness to organize a testimonial match for him at a time he deems appropriate, in recognition of his contributions to the club. He noted that the player is under contract with his current club until 2028, and that erecting a statue and holding a tribute ceremony would be the most suitable option for the future .