BARCELONA VS REAL MADRID: VICTOR FONT BACKS JOAN LAPORTA AND DEMANDS END TO FLORENTINO PEREZ TIES
Victor Font backs Joan Laporta against Florentino Perez but slams the Barcelona president for prioritising the Super League over Messi.
Things are pretty tense between Barcelona and Real Madrid these days. They've been trading blows with public statements and accusations.
Real Madrid seems to be taking most of the blame, especially with their president, Florentino Perez, straight-up attacking Barcelona. He's accusing them of fixing games through the Negreira scandal.
Barcelona, of course, isn't taking it quietly. Joan Laporta fired back at Perez at a Christmas dinner last night.
Victor Font, who used to run for Barcelona president, recently shared his thoughts on the situation.
He actually agreed with Joan Laporta for once, saying Real Madrid is obviously in the wrong.
"I totally agree with what the Barça president said, and I'd even go further," Font stated.
Barcelona fans are really offended that Florentino Perez is questioning Barcelona's history, especially when it involves what was probably the best soccer team ever.
And for the president of a club with so many suspicious wins to say this is just awful, he added, talking about Perez.
Font went on to explain what he meant by Real Madrid's suspicious titles:
The numbers tell the story. A lot of people might not know that during the 20th century, ten presidents of the Referee Technical Committee had ties to Real Madrid—they were members or even former players.
They weren't paying them off, but it was a huge conflict of interest. "You can find that data!" he added.
Font brought up a recent example: The last president of the CTA, Jose Plaza, was in charge for 23 years. How many titles did Barça win with him versus Real Madrid? Two compared to thirteen.
And during the first five years of payments to Negreira, how many titles did Barça win? "Zero," he pointed out.
Font then said it's ridiculous to question the achievements of one of the greatest teams ever, just because of some payments.
The best team ever is being questioned, a team that won fair and square, and everyone knows it. These payments have nothing to do with influencing referees, he said.
The question is whether paying the number two guy in the referee system for years impacted things or not.
But what's really important is that we're angry with Real Madrid's president for accusing Barça of winning because of referees, he added.
Font then went after Perez, saying it's absurd for him to question Barcelona's success when his team just couldn't compete.
He's doubting the years when Barça was better than Real Madrid because he can't admit we were better for a while.
He's using this as a distraction because his sports plans are failing, the Super League is failing, and he's having problems with the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, Font added.
Font then listed what he thinks Barcelona should do in response to Real Madrid's stance.
You don't defend the club by just talking. The president of Barça should stop with the fancy talk and do something: call out Real Madrid and Real Madrid TV for messing with the competition.
It's a clear conflict of interest when Real Madrid's delegate, Mejia Davila, has his wife in an important position at the CTA. Defending the club means taking action, not just talking, he added.
Font urged Laporta to fix things and demand respect for the club.
Right now, I'd demand that Real Madrid's president apologise, and if he doesn't, cut off all ties. It's unacceptable to try to damage a club like Barça.
Towards the end of the interview, Font criticised Laporta for siding with Real Madrid and caring more about the Super League than Barcelona and Lionel Messi.
Yelling and talking don't defend the club. He's been buddy-buddy with Florentino Perez the whole time, which is what we've been saying from day one.
A few months after becoming president, Joan Laporta had to decide: renew the best player ever or team up with the Super League and Florentino Perez, he added.
He chose Florentino and the Super League over keeping Messi, he concluded.
Finally, Font talked about how Barcelona needs to take a strong stance, both on and off the field.
Since then, Barça has been working with Florentino and taking advice from his people. "It's not okay that they're suddenly changing their tune now, right before the elections," Font said.
This isn't about shouting; it's about doing something. That's why I'm insisting that FC Barcelona take real action. The club needs to call out Real Madrid TV for making and spreading videos that are messing with the competition, he concluded.
REPORT: HANSI FLICK RELEGATES MARC-ANDRé TER STEGEN TO THIRD CHOICE; GIRONA MOVE NOW HIGHLY LIKELY
Girona are planning a shock January loan for Marc-André ter Stegen. Can the Catalan side agree on wages with Barcelona today?
Girona's management is planning to sign a big La Liga player: Barcelona's Marc-André ter Stegen.
Mundo Deportivo recently reported Girona's surprising interest, saying they're ready to get the German keeper this winter if they get a chance.
Signing a player like him costs a lot, but Girona is determined to do what it takes to make their team stronger. They can't afford to buy him outright, so they're looking at a loan. For that to happen, either Ter Stegen or Barcelona needs to give up quite a bit of money.
Girona thinks the 33-year-old German would quickly fix their goalie problem. They're hoping his presence will steady the defense and bring leadership.
The report also mentions that the player is open to the move. At 33, he needs to play every week to stay the starting goalie for Germany in the next World Cup.
Barcelona seems okay with letting him go for a while, but the money is still the issue. Girona just can't afford his full salary without help.
It all depends on two things: Barcelona will have to pay part of his wages, or Ter Stegen must take a pay cut to join Estadi Montilivi. Previous reports said Barcelona doesn't want to force their captain out. Aston Villa has also reportedly reached out to the German.
Barcelona should value the player more than his salary.
Barcelona needs to be smart about this. They need to protect their finances while taking care of a club legend who still has a lot of value. There's no point in keeping a top earner on the bench. Instead, the team should make the loan happen to keep him in shape all season.
If the German just sits around, his transfer value will drop. The club would also lose their advantage when it's time to sell him later. Joan Laporta and Deco should work out a deal where they cover some of his pay. They should view that cost as an investment to keep his value high, not just waste money.
Looking ahead, this move seems like the end of Ter Stegen's time at Camp Nou. If he leaves now, it clearly shows that Barcelona is moving on to younger goalies. The clubs will probably find a compromise on the wages soon. Everyone wants this to happen. Girona gets a top-notch goalie, Barcelona eases some tension in the locker room, and Ter Stegen gets to chase his World Cup dreams.
BARCELONA MOVE FOR FORMER LA MASIA STAR ADRIAN BERNABé BEFORE VALUE SKYROCKETS
Barcelona is eyeing a reunion with La Masia graduate Adrian Bernabé. Discover how the Parma star became an affordable target.
Barcelona is super aware that money is tight, and they can't just sign anyone they want. They need to be smart about who they bring in, focusing on players who won't break the bank and who will fit how the team plays.
With this in mind, Barca has been watching a familiar face: Adrian Bernabe. He used to play in Barca's youth system and has been doing well in Italy, according to Fichajes.
The club thinks he's grown into a player who would do well in their current system. At 24, he's a key player for Parma and could be a good addition to the team.
Bernabe is mainly a central midfielder. He left Barcelona for Manchester City back in 2018, hoping to learn a lot. He played a bit under Pep Guardiola but didn't get a ton of playing time because of the competition.
That's why he moved to Parma in 2021, which seemed like a step down at the time. But it was a good move. Parma trusted him and gave him a big role, which helped him grow.
He really stepped up as a leader, running the midfield and controlling the game. He was a big part of Parma getting promoted to Serie A, and this season he's been playing great.
Barcelona likes Bernabe because he's got skills, vision, and understands how to play his position. He's good at moving the ball, making smart passes, and playing with discipline. Plus, he can shoot from far out and is good on set pieces, which is a bonus.
This wouldn't be a huge signing, but it fits with what Barcelona is trying to do right now, which is get players who are ready to play right away without costing too much. The fact that Bernabe came up through La Masia and played under Guardiola is a plus.
He's got a contract with Parma until 2027, so Barca would have to talk to them to make a deal. Still, his age, how much he makes, and his familiarity with Barcelona's style of play make him an affordable option.
Apparently, people close to Bernabe are happy about Barcelona's interest, but there's no rush to make anything happen just yet.
Barcelona will keep watching him as things progress. Bringing back a former player who has developed somewhere else would suit the club's current plans.
They're definitely interested; they like what he can do, and he's still an option as Barcelona tries to strengthen the team without losing sight of their values.