Barcelona have had to endure a difficult month so far, at least in terms of off-field challenges.
The month began with tension due to the CSD verdict on the discharge of Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor. affairs. Fortunately, the decision was in favor of Barcelona.
But that didn’t stop Joan Laporta from receiving immense criticism from his followers for his handling of the situation.
Laporta was summoned to the locker room
A recent report from Diario SPORT has revealed that Barcelona president Joan Laporta was the subject of massive resentment from his own group of players due to the registration problems of Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor.
The sequence of events reportedly took place just before the trip to Saudi Arabia, when Laporta was unexpectedly summoned to the locker room by his players.
The call came after manager Hansi Flick attempted to explain the complexities of the club’s dealings with La Liga regarding VIP seating revenue, leaving the squad with more questions than answers.
The players, frustrated by the events, demanded Laporta’s presence and wanted him to explain what was happening with the club’s finances.
When Laporta arrived at the Ciutat Deportiva he found a pointed question from the players: “Couldn’t you have done this before?”
It was a clear expression of his frustration with the timing and management of the situation. Laporta’s response was convoluted and somewhat lost to the players, who, in the end, chose not to delve into his explanations about the club’s policies, legalities and strategies.
Things have improved slightly since then, and Barcelona were able to register both Olmo and Víctor. But the club’s financial situation is still far from perfect and something must change before players across Europe start to think twice before signing for Barça.