Five Crucial Tasks for Joan Laporta After Securing Barcelona Presidency

Joan Laporta will return for another spell as Barcelona president at the end of the season after winning the latest club elections.

A landslide victory for Laporta served as a clear indication that fans have been delighted by his work thus far, but the job is far from over for the newly crowned president.

Here are five key tasks facing Laporta upon his return to office.

Finish Camp Nou

Barcelona started the renovations of their famous home in the summer of 2023, with Laporta initially claiming Camp Nou would be operational in a reduced capacity as early as December 2024. That estimate was ultimately exceeded by 11 months.

After countless setbacks and concerns with construction company Limak, things have slowly started falling in line once again. Completion of the work is expected in 2027, which is already one year behind schedule. Laporta cannot afford to oversee any further complications.

He may not be directly responsible for the timeline, but Laporta is the one who signs off on this work, and so it ultimately falls on him to deliver a Camp Nou that is up to standard and capable of providing significant income as soon as possible.

Invest in Hansi Flick’s Squad

Barcelona are reigning La Liga champions, leading the way this time around and sit among the favorites to win the Champions League. On paper, things could not get much better, but Barcelona fans will tell you there are some glaring issues with the playing squad that need addressing.

One such problem is at striker, where Robert Lewandowski’s unavoidable decline has created the need for a replacement. Fans have high standards and may have enjoyed Font’s determination to land Erling Haaland from Manchester City, although Laporta has openly laughed off the chances of doing such a deal.

The incoming president has also questioned the logic behind a significant spend on another popular candidate, Atlético Madrid’s Julián Alvarez. If Laporta thinks he knows better, he must prove it by delivering a striker capable of making an immediate, title-defining impact.

Center back is another major area of concern in the current squad, with Flick’s tactical setup undermined by the summer departure of Iñigo Martínez. Again, anything less that superstardom will not be tolerated.

Get La Liga’s 1:1 Approval Long-Term

Dani Olmo famously nearly fell victim to Barcelona’s financial issues. | Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Part of Laporta’s appeal during this election was his proven track record of improving Barcelona’s finances. He inherited a club in such dire monetary straits that Lionel Messi was legally unable to renew his contract, with debts soaring through the roof.

Under Laporta, things have been far better, but still a long way from perfect. Indeed, the Blaugrana have flirted with disaster thanks to their creative management of the wage cap, including a lengthy legal battle over Dani Olmo and consistent use of extra injury allowances. Thankfully for Laporta, everything has worked out in the end.

The long-term goal is to return to La Liga’s 1:1 spending rule—the ability to spend €1 for every €1 earned. This can only be done by raising money, be it through player sales or off-field business moves, both of which must be signed off by Laporta.

Barcelona are getting there. Laporta needs to deliver a future in which fans are not worried about potentially cashing in on a big name, or players are snubbing moves to Camp Nou because of concerns over their registrations.

Sort Out a Tribute for Lionel Messi

Laporta has long insisted that he wants to organize a formal tribute to Messi, likely after his current contract with Inter Miami expires in 2028. Those plans would, according to the incoming president, only be put in place if he won the election.

There are now no logistical issues with these ambitions. Instead, the only potential problems could stem from the poor state of the relationship between Laporta and Messi, which played a major part in the recent election cycle.

Regardless of what has happened between Messi and Laporta, fans are all united in their desire to see the Argentine icon return in some capacity, with a statue immortalizing Messi another non-negotiable.

If the current rapport between Laporta and Messi could prove in any way harmful to those plans, the new president simply must sort it out by any means necessary. Failure to provide a fair tribute to the greatest player in club history, after being the president that oversaw his unwanted departure in the first place, would not be a good look.

Address Issues With Women’s Team

Alexia Putellas — Financial issues have hurt the women’s team. | Bruno Penas/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

The 2025 summer transfer window was a quiet one from Barcelona’s men’s team in terms of exits. Sure, Martínez’s departure was a disappointment, but the La Liga champions laughed off claims of needing to sell a number of big names as youngsters Pau Víctor, Álex Valle and Pablo Torre were the only ones to leave.

The same cannot be said of Barcelona’s women’s team, Barça Femení.

The same financial issues that have shackled Flick’s team completely destroyed a Femení side that had reached five straight Champions League finals. A number of big names had to leave and there are concerns that more may be forced out the door this coming summer. For them to still be 10 points clear of Real Madrid in the league is impressive, albeit potentially expected from a team that still boasts superstars like Aitana Bonmatí, Caroline Graham Hansen and Alexia Putellas in its ranks.

The disaster that seemed inevitable last summer has been avoided, but make no mistake about it, there are still issues to address with Barça Femení, the gold standard of women’s soccer this decade. Laporta cannot allow the team’s superstar status to disappear through a focus on the men’s side.

Finish Camp Nou

Invest in Hansi Flick’s Squad

Get La Liga’s 1:1 Approval Long-Term

Sort Out a Tribute for Lionel Messi

Address Issues With Women’s Team

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