Barcelona president Joan Laporta didn’t hold back after Real Madrid’s recent win over Rayo Vallecano, taking aim at the refereeing and calling out what he sees as double standards. He’s also moving ahead with plans for Barcelona’s next elections, which he says will be called next week.

Real Madrid edged out Rayo 2-1 with a dramatic 100th-minute penalty from Kylian Mbappe. The match dragged on with nine minutes of added time, something that left Rayo fans fuming. To make matters worse for them, Pathe Ciss and Pep Chavarria both got sent off. Ciss later admitted his red card was fair, but frustration still lingered over how the game played out.

Laporta zeroed in on Real Madrid TV, accusing them of hypocrisy. While Madrid had their own penalty shouts turned down, Rayo’s players complained about how easily Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, and Brahim Diaz hit the turf. Talking to Diario AS, Laporta didn’t mince words.

“I watched the Real Madrid-Rayo game, and honestly, I have no idea where those nine or ten minutes of extra time came from. Some players are getting really good at diving in the box, pretending to get fouled. That should be a yellow card. Rayo Vallecano got the short end of the stick.”

He pointed out how Real Madrid TV usually goes after referees hard, especially when Madrid thinks they’ve been wronged. But after this match? Silence.

“We’re dealing with a club that has a TV channel always claiming the referees are out to get them. Now, when things go their way, what do they have to say? Nothing? Have they even looked at what happened? They need to get their act together.”

Laporta said he isn’t against mistakes happening—sometimes calls even go in Barcelona’s favour—but he wants to see more balance.

“These things happen, but when it keeps going one way, it’s a problem. Hopefully, it gets fixed, because some situations are just too obvious. I’m saying this constructively. Mistakes can help us, too, sometimes.”

Switching gears, Laporta confirmed Barcelona will hold elections in mid-March, and he’s running again. He’ll dissolve the board next Monday so the election process can begin, with a temporary board stepping in.

“We’ll publish the call for elections on February 9th. As the rules say, some board members will need to resign to run, and we’ll take care of that at our meeting on Monday.”

Laporta sounded upbeat about his chances for another term, even with challengers lining up.

“I’m excited and full of energy. It’ll be a model process, with lots of participation, with every candidate putting their ideas forward. That’s how it should be.”

Barcelona president Joan Laporta didn’t hold back—he called Dro Fernandez’s departure “unpleasant”. All this happened just as Hansi Flick pointed to Marcus Rashford’s drive as exactly what Barcelona’s young players should aim for.

Fernandez, just 18, forced his way out with a transfer request and ended up at Paris Saint-Germain. He apparently triggered his own £5.1 million release clause to make it happen this month.

He joined Barcelona at 14 and made his Champions League debut last October, even setting up a goal when Barca thrashed Olympiacos 6-1. Now he’s signed with PSG through 2030.

Flick, clearly frustrated, tried to keep his cool when asked about the situation before the deal was done. “Sometimes you just have to accept it. They're 18, they can make their own choices, and they’ve got people advising them,” he said.

He started to say more, then cut himself off: “Of course, when I see like... no, no, I don’t want to talk anymore; it’s enough.”

Flick had much kinder words for Rashford, who’s on loan from Manchester United and hoping for a permanent move. “Marcus has been fantastic so far. We need to manage things, but Deco, our sporting director, will handle next season,” Flick said. “We’ve got time. Marcus is top level, and I really value his commitment—he wants to be here.”

He didn’t miss the chance to send a message to the club’s young players: “This is what I want to say to La Masia’s kids. We’re Barça, one of the best clubs in the world. We give you the chance to train and grow with the best. If you want to play here, you need to give everything—100%. These colours, you have to live for them. If you’re not all in, I’m not interested.”

Laporta, still clearly annoyed, spoke again after the deal: “We’ll talk when everything’s finalised. It’s been an unpleasant situation,” he told Catalunya Radio. “We’ll resolve it as planned, but honestly, it was a shock. We’d already agreed on a new deal with Dro when he turned 18, then suddenly his agent said he couldn’t go through with it.”

After the move, Fernandez explained his choice: “I’m very happy and proud to join Paris Saint-Germain. This is a huge moment for my family. PSG is a massive club I’ve followed since I was a kid, where legends have made history. I’m excited and ready to give everything for this shirt.”