Why Joan Laporta Has Resigned As Barcelona President

Laporta’s departure from his post was confirmed on Monday morning.

Joan Laporta is eyeing a swift return to his post. | Luciano Lima/Getty Images

Five years after being elected as president of Barcelona, Joan Laporta has confirmed his resignation from his post.

Normally, the departure of a club president from a team of Barcelona’s stature would send shockwaves around the world, but the Blaugrana’s unique ownership model means this news comes as no real surprise.

Here’s a deeper look into what’s going on with Barcelona and Laporta.

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Why Has Joan Laporta Resigned From Barcelona?

Laporta is looking for a second consecutive term. | Joan Valls/Urbanandsport/NurPhoto/Getty Images

The last time a Barcelona president resigned, Josep Maria Bartomeu walked away in shame after losing a vote of no confidence amid accusations of financial mismanagement and shock claims that he had even paid for a social media defamation campaign against his own club—a controversy which became known as Barçagate.

It is, therefore, understandble that news of another resignation would spark concern among Barcelona fans, but that need not be the case here.

Laporta’s resignation is simply part of the process for re-election. Club rules state anybody seeking to be elected cannot currently be employed by Barcelona, meaning Laporta has had to step aside while he campaigns for a return to Camp Nou.

Monday was the deadline for his resignation and Laporta has, predictably, waited until the final moment to confirm his departure and begin his push for re-election. The election date has been set for March 15.

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Who Will Replace Laporta As Barcelona President?

Rafa Yuste (left) has stepped in. | Angel Martinez/Getty Images

While Laporta focuses on campaigning, it is Rafa Yuste who will take charge of Barcelona as president.

Yuste has been Laporta’s vice-president since 2021 but will now step into the hot seat on a temporary basis. The current setup will remain in place until the end of the season, at which point the winner of next month’s election will assume control.

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The Candidates Running Against Laporta

Victor Font is among Laporta’s greatest rivals. | Javier Borrego/Europa Press/Getty Images

The primary competition for the presidency role is expected to come from Victor Font, who came second in the elections back in 2021.

Font, who has publicly confirmed he would not retain the services of sporting director Deco if he is voted into office, has blasted Laporta for the unusual timing of the elections. Historically, the process is usually conducted at the end of the season, so as to avoid creating any unnecessary distractions.

Another candidate, Marc Ciria, accused an “opportunistic” Laporta of trying to profit off the good will generated by the Super Cup victory and Barcelona’s strong position as La Liga leaders, rather than risk waiting until the end of the season when a downturn in results would likely change his public perception.

Xavier Vilajoana and Joan Camprubí have also announced their candidacies. All those intending to run, including Laporta, must be able to present 2,321 signatures of support from club members by the first week of March.

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Is Laporta Expected to Win?

Laporta has been accused of trying to capitalize on the positivity around Camp Nou. | Maciej Rogowski/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images

At this point, it is impossible to predict the conclusion of the election race, although Laporta will fancy his chances of a second consecutive presidency term.

Having secured double the number of votes as Font, his closest competitor, in 2021, Laporta will hope that his track record speaks for itself, with many voters likely to be swayed by the team’s on-field success and undeniably improving financial state. He will hope many adopt an “if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it” approach.

In his bid to topple Laporta, Font has gone on the attack. “If the members knew the lies and deceptions this board has spread, they would say enough is enough,” he said confidently as he formally announced his candidacy.

“If I had half an hour at Camp Nou to speak to the 50,000 members about what this board is doing, I’m convinced I’d win hands down. We know thousands of members agree. We have a lot at stake.”

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