Joan Laporta is a very influential figure both in the present and in the lore of FC Barcelona. As the active president of the club, a lot of responsibility and power lies with him. Accordingly, his faith in his coaches is integral when it comes to individual continuity at Barcelona.
Typically, Laporta is present with Xavi Hernandez and the first team for important games. The ones at the Montjuic Stadium are almost always attended by him and sometimes even Barcelona travel away from home for games as well.
Due to this reason, his recent presence at a Barcelona Athletic game becomes even more odd. It is usually only games at the Ciutat Esportiva that the president attends. However, as SPORT highlights, he traveled to Palamos for the match between the subsidiary and Cornella.
In turn, he prioritised that game over the first team’s with Rayo Vallecano. This comes as a possible alarm when talking about Xavi Hernandez. SPORT reports that recent speculation has emerged stating that Rafa Marquez may be the chosen one to replace Xavi if it comes to that point.
The Mexican took over Barcelona Athletic not too long ago. However, the work he has already done there has been nothing short of impressive. It seems that Laporta is one of his many supporters and his visit to the side’s away game could be a dead giveaway.
For now, the first team continues to struggle. Their upcoming game against Porto could more or less decide the future of their season. Scheduled to take place at the Montjuic Stadium, it is expected that Barcelona president Joan Laporta will be present for the UEFA Champions League clash.
As it stands, both the Catalans and the Portuguese side are tied on nine points each. Their goal difference remains the exact same as well but Barcelona leads on a head-to-head basis. This upcoming game will hence be crucial for both sides.