Laporta defends Barcelona's handling of Olmo situation, says club was under attack

MADRID (AP) — Barcelona president Joan Laporta defended his administration’s handling of the Dani Olmo case and claimed on Tuesday that there was a campaign to tarnish the club’s image.

Laporta said in a news conference that a portion of the media and opposition members wanted the club to fail in its bid to register the Spain midfielder, who is back after Barcelona won a government ruling.

“The events of the last few weeks reaffirm Barça’s strength and go against the apocalyptic tales put forward in certain areas due to a lack of knowledge or bad faith,” Laporta said. “If we look back at Barça’s history when it was emerging, certain figures with their media support join forces to create a disgraceful story that has nothing to do with reality. That has been repeated continuously. I am happy to see they have not won.”

Barcelona managed to register Olmo and forward Pau Víctor after the government’s sports authority intervened with a provisional ruling against the Spanish league and Spanish federation's decision to deny the club’s request because it missed the end-of-the year deadline to comply with financial fair-play rules.

Laporta said the club filed the request in advance but the league kept making unrealistic requests for extra documentation, including a report from auditors on Dec. 31. Laporta said another factor that led to the missed deadline was that the payment for VIP seating at the new Camp Nou stadium was made on Dec. 31 but only became available for the club on Jan. 3.

The president said the players and their families “suffered a lot” because of the uncertainty over their registration. He praised the squad and coach Hansi Flick for persevering while the club tried to solve the situation.

“I greatly appreciate the strength that the players and the entire team had in these moments of suffering,” he said.

Laporta said he was disappointed with those within the club who took a stance against him. He thanked clubs such as Real Madrid for not taking a public stance against Barça’s attempt to register the players.

“Almost everybody has understood that the obstacles have been attacks to damage the club and its badge,” Laporta said in the news conference that lasted nearly two hours. “No campaign will ever discredit Barça, a club loved by millions of people.”

Laporta, who in the past was criticized for his handling of Barcelona’s finances, said the club earned an extra 300 million euros ($308 million) thanks to a renegotiation of its contract with Nike, which he said was “the best we could achieve.”

Martínez injury

Barcelona said defender Iñigo Martínez will be sidelined for about a month with a right hamstring injury sustained in the team’s 5-2 rout of Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup final Sunday in Saudi Arabia.

Barcelona sits third in the Spanish league standings, five points behind Madrid and six points behind leader Atletico Madrid at the competition's halfway point. Barcelona's next match is against Real Betis on Wednesday in the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey.

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Tales Azzoni, The Associated Press