"I have bad news for the sociological Madridismo" - Barcelona president sends warning to Real Madrid and media
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has fired back at bribery allegations while sending a caution to Real Madrid and the Spanish media. During a speech at the club's General Assembly, Laporta discussed issues ranging from club administration to the contentious Negreira Case.
The Blaugrana president now finds himself implicated in bribery charges from the Negreira Case that named former presidents Josep Maria Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell. The charges date back to Laporta's first tenure as club president from 2003 to 2010.
Judge Joaquin Aguirre Lopez has ruled that the statutes of limitation do not apply to these charges, effectively adding Laporta to the growing list of implicated individuals. Barca have been accused of transferring more than €7.3 million to companies owned by Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira. He was notably the vice-president of the Spanish football federation’s refereeing committee.
Denying any foul play, Laporta has long claimed that the Negreira scandal was a mere smear campaign. At the General Assembly, he insisted:
“No matter how much they search and lie, they will find nothing."
The president minced no words in his critique of Real Madrid, saying:
“When we go to Madrid for work, you realize that there is a sociological Madridismo in all powers: financial, political, media and sports. A few years have passed and a new Barca is back that is getting better and better. On top of that, the president who was at that stage, who made them suffer and lose, is the same. The coach is the one who was the best midfielder in the world.”
The Barcelona president's emphasis was clear: there is an orchestrated maneuver from Real Madrid to destabilize the club. He said:
"Sociological Madridismo sees that grassroots football can bring out new players such as Araujo, Balde, Gavi, Fermín, Lamine… They are the promoters of this plot that has been perpetrated to destabilize us and destroy one of the most distinguishing features of Catalonia."
He finished on a high note:
"We will win this judicial process, we will be acquitted, sooner rather than later. I have bad news for the sociological Madridismo: we will replicate the best Barca in history."
Barcelona midfielder Frenkie De Jong's contract revealed ahead of El Clasico
As Barcelona grapple with legal tussles regarding the Negreira Case, they're also reportedly looking to lock down midfielder Frenkie de Jong. According to SPORT (via Barca Blaugranes), the gears are already turning to negotiate a new contract for the Dutch dynamo.
But as these discussions progress, SPORT has pulled back the curtain on De Jong's existing contractual obligations. Currently, he draws a fixed annual wage of €18 million, augmented by performance-related variables.
The reported contract reveals that the 2023/24 season could turn into a financial windfall for the Barcelona midfielder. Based on fixed wages, personal bonuses, and loyalty incentives, he stands to rake in a whopping €26.8 million. However, he will not be available to face Real Madrid in the upcoming El Clasico, following a sprained ankle injury.