Laporta defends Barcelona’s handling of Olmo situation, says club was under attack
President of Barcelona Joan Laporta, centre, and his players celebrate with the trophy after winning the Spanish Super Cup against Real Madrid at King Abdullah Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Altaf Qadri]
MADRID (AP) — Barcelona president Joan Laporta has defended his administration’s handling of the Dani Olmo case and has claimed that there was a campaign to tarnish the club’s image. Laporta said in a news conference Tuesday that a portion of the media and opposition members wanted the club to fail while trying to register the Spain midfielder, who is back after Barcelona won a government ruling. Barcelona managed to register Olmo and forward Pau Víctor after the government’s sports authority intervened with a provisional ruling against the Spanish league and Spanish federation’s decision to deny the club’s request because it missed the end-of-the year deadline to comply with financial fair-play rules.
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