The race for the Barcelona presidency has taken a personal turn as incumbent Joan Laporta delivered a stinging rebuttal to club icon and former manager Xavi.
This public exchange follows Xavi’s vocal support for Victor Font, Laporta’s primary rival in the upcoming elections at the Spotify Camp Nou.
The legendary midfielder has recently intensified his criticism of Laporta’s leadership, prompting a direct and unfiltered response from the club’s current patron.
During a joint media appearance on Monday alongside Font, Laporta did not hold back when addressing the accusations leveled against him.
The presidential favorite expressed his disappointment with Xavi’s recent interviews, suggesting that the former manager’s disillusionment stems more from his on-field results than administrative disagreements.
The tension between the two highlights a growing divide within the Blaugrana hierarchy as the election cycle nears its climax.
Joan Laporta Aims Dig at Ex-Barcelona Boss Xavi Over Managerial Success
The core of Laporta’s critique centered on a tactical comparison between the former coach and the current technical staff. “Xavi’s interview surprised me and hurt me,” Laporta admitted to La Vanguardia, before pointing out the immediate impact of Hansi Flick.
He noted that while the squad remains largely the same, the results have shifted dramatically. “With the same players, Flick wins… and Xavi didn’t. With Xavi, I saw that we were going to lose; with Flick, I see that we are going to win.”
This tactical jab targets Xavi’s 46-year-old managerial legacy, implying that the team’s previous struggles were a matter of coaching rather than personnel.
As Xavi continues to align himself with the Victor Font campaign, Laporta’s strategy appears to be leveraging the current team’s success to discredit the “Xavi-era” project.
With the elections approaching, the war of words between these two pillars of Barcelona history is expected to escalate, leaving fans caught between their loyalty to a playing legend and the current momentum of the club.
