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TUESDAY, AUGUST 17, 2021 Laporta says finances ‘dramatic’ Nine Super League rebels rejoin European Club Association

BARCELONA: Barcelona president medium-term they are magnificent,” Joan Laporta yesterday gave details of said Laporta, adding that Barcelona the “dramatic” financial problems that plan to return to developing young persuaded him to release . players as they did with Messi, who “The economic and financial situation came through the youth system known of the club is worrying, and the finan- as ‘’. “We are going to bet on cial situation is dramatic,” Laporta told La Masia, which will allow us to devel- a two-hour press conference at the op the model we want.” . Barcelona, he said, have debts of Super League 1.35 billion euros and a wage bill, at 617 Earlier yesterday, it was announced million euros, that is “25 to 30 percent that nine of the 12 founder members of higher than that of our competitors.” the short-lived “We are all tightening our belts, in a rejoined the European Club Association couple of years the club’s finances will (ECA), but Barcelona, Real Madrid and be healthy.” Juventus remain outside the influential As for Messi’s departure, Laporta group as they continue to back the said that the two sides held “negotia- breakaway project. tions that both parties hoped would be The ECA said that Atletico Madrid, fruitful but didn’t work out. There is a AC Milan and Inter Milan, along with mutual disappointment.” He confided all six English clubs involved in the that the Argentine’s presentation as a breakaway — Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain player on Saturday Manchester United, Liverpool, left him with “mixed feelings, like all Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham Barca fans”. Hotspur — had been reinstated after “I would have preferred to see him acknowledging that a Super League at Barca, although we have made the “was not in the interests of the wider right decision,” Laporta said. “I wish football community”. BARCELONA: President of FC Barcelona Joan Laporta gestures during a press conference at the Camp Nou stadium in him all the best, I like to see him happy, The nine clubs initially signed up to Barcelona yesterday. — AFP he deserves it. From now on we will be the project in April but all backed down an opponent.” Barcelona opened their within 48 hours in the face of over- ments from UEFA, including a five per- sustainability for the clubs and make the ECA as well as from his position season with a 4-2 home win over Real whelming opposition from fans, players cent cut in their European revenue for for a more attractive competition”. on UEFA’s executive committee as the Sociedad on Sunday. “It was a very and organizations. The ECA called it “a one season, after backing down and The three remaining clubs took a breakaway was launched in April. His Barca-like reaction,” Laporta said. “All regrettable and turbulent episode for apologizing for their “mistake” in join- legal case to European authorities, position at the head of the ECA was the players are more motivated than European football” and also acknowl- ing the project, widely condemned as a leaving the European Court of Justice taken by Paris Saint-Germain presi- ever.” edged the clubs’ “willingness to engage crude land grab. (CJEU) to decide whether UEFA was dent Nasser Al-Khelaifi. The ECA, “Sunday showed that Barcelona fans actively with the ECA in its collective However Real Madrid, Barcelona and abusing its dominant position by with nearly 250 members from across are hungry for football and to see a mission to develop European club foot- Juve did not back down — earlier this opposing the Super League project, a the continent, describes itself as “the team that fights and plays well. A new ball — in the open and transparent summer Laporta claimed the Super quasi-closed tournament. sole, independent body directly rep- era is beginning. The short-term interests of all, not the few.” League was “still alive”. He insisted the Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli resenting football clubs at European prospects are complicated, but in the The nine clubs accepted punish- Super League would mean “financial resigned from his role as chairman of level”. — AFP