Barcelona president Joan Laporta hit back hard at Javier Tebas on Tuesday, accusing him of “fabricating a campaign against Barcelona,” after the La Liga president said Laporta should resign “if he does not explain his position” over reports of the club’s payment. The Catalan sums money to a company owned by the former vice-president of the Technical Jury.
Laporta said from the Camp Nou stadium: “Tebas fabricates a campaign against Barcelona and against me. He dropped his mask. He continues his obsession with Barcelona and his fear of our club.”
And he continued, “I remember that he is a person who, in the past, showed his hatred towards Barcelona. In 2005, as vice-president of Alaves, he filed a complaint because he did not want Messi to play in Barcelona.”
Tebas said on Monday that Laporta should resign if he could not explain Barcelona’s payment of seven million euros ($7.46 million) between 2001 and 2018 to a company belonging to the former vice-president of the technical arbitration committee, Jose Maria Enriques Negrera.
Laporta continued, “He does not forgive us that we did not want to sign their contract with the CVC (investment fund) that he manages himself. He cannot bear that we support the European Super League. This is his usual way.”
He added, “I will not give Mr. Tebas the pleasure of resigning from my position as president of FC Barcelona. This decision is taken by Socios (the shareholder members of the club). Anyone who tries to tarnish the history and image of FC Barcelona will receive a harsh response.”
For its part, the League commented again on this issue, and said in a statement: “The majority of La Liga clubs have expressed their deep concern about this matter, which they consider very serious.”
It added that 40 clubs out of 42 competing in the first and second divisions voted for a joint letter to confirm that it “denies and rejects the facts.”
And on Monday, Tebas considered that Laporta should resign “if he does not explain well or in a more logical way why” the club paid this money.
Tebas stressed that despite the breach of the conflict of interest regulations, “sports disciplinary sanctions cannot be imposed because five years have passed”, although he may still face a private trial.
Barcelona initially said that Negrera was being paid for reports and advice on referees.
