Barcelona president confirms plan to ‘build bridges’ with UEFA, EFC; hails Lamine Yamal

Under Joan Laporta’s leadership, Barcelona are taking all necessary steps to rebuild relations with UEFA, European football’s governing body, and to move away from the Super League project.

This was made evident by the club’s acceptance of an invitation to attend a meeting in Rome organised by the European Football Clubs (EFC, formerly known as the ECA), chaired by Nasser Al-Khelaifi, also president of PSG, and Aleksander Ceferin, president of UEFA.

Laporta opens up on EFC meeting

Speaking to El Chiringuito (h/t SPORT) after the meeting at the assembly, Laporta confirmed that Barcelona’s intention is to strengthen ties with Al-Khelaifi, the EFC, and UEFA, further hinting that the club may be distancing themselves from the Super League.

“Nasser, the president of the EFC, has invited us. We have graciously accepted, as we have a very good relationship. With FC Barcelona, we are in favour of pacifying European football. We want there to be an agreement and for us to return to UEFA,” said Laporta.

“That is what all the clubs want. By coming here, we want to create harmony and enable this agreement to be reached. They are behaving very well and showing us a lot of respect. We have to do everything necessary to reach an agreement.”

“Barça are on board with this, and it was our role to build bridges with both Nasser and Ceferin.”

On Lamine Yamal, club finances

Laporta called Lamine a genius. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

The Barcelona president also spoke about Lamine Yamal, hailing the teenage superstar as a genius.

“Lamine is a genius. We have to support him and give him the best advice, but he is already much more mature than other boys his age because of what he has been through. This fame could overwhelm him, but he is handling it very well.

Praising the youngster’s discipline and dedication, he added: “He is 18 years old and trains every day. He is disciplined with his groin injury and with what the club tells him to do, following everything to the letter so that he can improve.

“The way to treat him is to help him. He will make mistakes like everyone else, and perhaps more so because he is very young. He is a lad who makes himself loved.”

Laporta expressed pride in the club’s recent financial results, which, for the second consecutive year, closed with a positive ordinary balance of two million euros.

“We are very satisfied with the financial results; if we look at where we came from and where we are now, I think we have done a very good job.

“We have had two years of positive ordinary results, which balances us out; we also have a record in sponsorship and merchandising… Plus, we have a competitive team that has brought joy back to Barcelona fans.”