BARCELONA – Joan Laporta in action. The president of Barcelona reacted to the open letter of Josep María Bartomeu, his predecessor in office, giving an account of the first data of the due diligence carried out by his board … And responding head-on to the former president, whom he accused to “lie” in a forceful way to all the points referred to in the letter.
“The letter from Mr. Bartomeu, the truth is that after reading it carefully, it is full of lies and seeks to justify an unjustifiable government action. It is an exercise in desperation that he carries out taking advantage of the turbulent moment of Barcelona,” revealed Laporta, who point by point he dismantled what was argued by his predecessor.
“We approved the accounts so as not to paralyze the club’s activity. I said it, warned it and asked for it, making it clear that this did not validate his performance. I already said that if a liability action had to be requested, I would do it. Mr. Bartomeu tells lies in their data, they do it desperately trying to avoid responsibilities for the 2020-21 financial year when they are responsible until March 2021. They are responsible for the consequences of their management because the manager could not make decisions, “said the president, who could provide clear examples that they repositioned Bartomeu on the bullseye.
“It offers to solve what the ‘due diligence’ (due diligence) may say … What we will seek is to purge responsibilities,” warned Laporta, who affirmed that “irregularities have been committed and it is sad that a letter full of lies is write a person who has led the club to a ruin “.
“It is an out of place opportunism. I think that Mr. Bartomeu, in reality, has panicked and what he does is try to influence in escaping from his responsibilities and even offering to collaborate in finding solutions. He does nothing but lie and that will remain in full view of the world.
“No one will escape from their responsibilities. I have already experienced it in the past to want to avoid it. Mr. Bartomeu reiterates a lie from the first point. When you repeat a lie you do not make it a reality … 2010 left negative numbers when a court made it clear that they were positive “it ruled, agreeing that through that point” everything he says is understood. “
“From the outset, the first thing we had to do was ask for a bridge loan of 80 million because otherwise we could not pay the payroll,” discovered the leader, stating that Bartomeu “wants to escape from his responsibilities … And he will not get it.”
“In 2003, Mr. Reyna left me an envelope in which there were a series of points that he said gave us zero losses … It was a toast to the sun that is similar to what Mr. Bartomeu does now, or tries to do” revealing that the numbers of the former president so as not to cause losses “are the story of the old woman. As of March 31, 2021 the club’s debt is 1,350 million euros”, Laporta discovered, highlighting that “the losses of the covid are 91 million euros , nothing more”.
“Mr. Bartomeu speaks of 30 million for transfers of unidentified players. Of 100 million in salary reductions that are not identified either. And of more than 200 million from Barça Corporate which is not true because it did not exist … The budget that they present could not be fulfilled in the 2020-21 season in any way. It is another lie that causes a dramatic economic and patrimonial situation “he sentenced, adding that his predecessor” speaks of a reduction of 191 million euros in salaries and a new table of negotiation to reduce another 90 million … In the end, 61 million have been deferred and we even find premiums at the end of the contract. Salaries were not reduced; it is another lie “.
“50 percent of the television rights of the League have been collected in advance, which is 79 million euros and we have found a financial expense that was at six percent, something that cannot be supported, and that now it has been reduced to one percent “he discovered, anges of accounting for” unjustifiable and unaffordable payments to intermediaries and people around the club. “
“We have found disproportionate payments to intermediaries, not agents, for example a transfer that cost 40 million and for purchase premium we paid 8 million and for sale premium 2 million more. A person who was paid 8 million of euros for detecting interesting players in South America. They are significant amounts improper in a way of acting “he synthesized, discovering that” 217 million minus the expenses of 126 have stopped being charged, which gives us the 91 million of Covid impact, nothing more ” .
Laporta warned that the management “of Mr. Bartomeu has led us to a dramatic situation. We have a negative working capital of 553 million euros: The difference between what we owe and what we are owed is negative 553 million and that is a lot of money and contextualizes where we are. Bank debt has increased and payment obligations have risen to 1,350 million. “
He also responded for the Neymar case. “He says that we have forgiven Neymar 16.7 million and that is not true. It would remind him of the damage he has done to the image and the
economics in this case because it was Bartomeu’s board that made a shameful and interested pact with the prosecution in which Barça was sentenced for the first time in history for two tax crimes and in return Mr. Bartomeu and Mr. Rosell were exonerated from criminal responsibilities while Barça paid a fine of 5.5 million “.
“Bartomeu makes a desperate exercise to avoid responsibilities. And no one will escape from them. His letter is full of lies and I want that maxim that says that if you constantly repeat a lie it ends up becoming true,” he said. , making it clear that the Espai Barça issue “is especially serious.”
“The project is obsolete and the reality was hidden from the partners. It is based on a series of falsehoods and a lack of transparency, so we are redoing the project to make it economically viable.”
“Bartomeu is desperate because his management, and that of his board, has been disastrous” he summarized, recalling that at the time of presenting himself “we already knew the delicate situation of the club, but we have a very high morale, convinced to make the necessary decisions, as in the case of Leo, which is very sad but necessary because the club is far above everyone, “he said.