"There have always been smear campaigns from Madrid" - Victor Font hits out at media after Barcelona president is charged in Negreira Case
Victor Font, a prominent figure in Barcelona's administrative circles, has taken a swipe at the media following the indictment of president Joan Laporta in the Negreira case.
This comes just as Laporta has been added to the roster of those facing charges, which already included former presidents Josep Maria Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell. As reported by Spanish news agency EFE (via Barca Blaugranes), Laporta was not initially implicated in the case.
However, investigating judge Joaquin Aguirre Lopez ruled not to dismiss the charges pertaining to Laporta's first tenure as Barcelona president from 2003 to 2010. Notably, there was a view that they would be dismissed on account of statutory limitations.
Barca are in the spotlight for disbursing more than €7.3 million to companies owned by Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira. Negreira served as the vice-president of the Spanish Football Federation’s refereeing committee from 1993 to 2018.
Laporta has consistently dismissed the allegations, contending that the entire Negreira case is part of an orchestrated smear campaign against him and the club. And he isn't alone in this sentiment. Victor Font, weighing in on the issue, accused the media of longstanding biases against Barcelona.
Speaking on Catalunya Radio, Font said (via SPORT):
"There have always been smear campaigns against Barca from Madrid because since Cruyff, the best coach in history, we have become a reference and that hurts. That Barca won everything on their own merits is a no-brainer. That said, this whole case is further proof that the model doesn't work."
Barcelona to wear Rolling Stones logo on their jerseys in El Clasico showdown
Sports will combine with rock 'n' roll when Barcelona clash with arch-rivals Real Madrid in El Clasico on October 28. The La Liga champions, already sponsored by Spotify, have merged music and football in recent times, showcasing artist logos during their most significant league fixtures.
This El Clasico is no exception, as the squad will don shirts featuring the iconic Tongue and Lips logo of British rock legends The Rolling Stones, according to 90min. The Blaugrana have previously highlighted the emblems of renowned artists like Drake during a La Liga meeting with Real Madrid last season.
In their other games, Barcelona will return to their usual Spotify logo on the shirts. The Rolling Stones logo will also grace the front of Barca's women's team jerseys during their Liga F showdown with Sevilla, slated for the week following El Clasico.