Barcelona president Laporta wants ´open´ Super League, not closed shop

Barcelona chief Joan Laporta is not a fan of the original plans for a European Super League, even though his club have stood by the proposal.

Along with 11 other European heavyweights, Barca attempted to form a breakaway competition in April 2021.

However, nine of the 12 teams withdrew due to the unpopularity of the proposals, with UEFA’s reaction particularly strong.

The sides nevertheless avoided any meaningful punishment and three clubs – Barca, Real Madrid and Juventus – remain committed to a Super League.

However, Laporta, who succeeded Josep Maria Bartomeu as Barca president in March of last year, does not believe a closed-shop Super League would be the correct way to go.

Indeed, Laporta believes keeping alive the chance of smaller teams winning major competitions is crucial.

“I think that playing between the big clubs would end up tiring,” he said in an interview for the Sonora project.

“Those of us who like football, [it] would end up tiring us. It’s nice and healthy that a smaller team beats the big one.

“You find that a European Championship is won by Greece and it is very nice. And when Leicester [City] won in England it was special. This is football.

All the Open Days are days of great emotion and happiness because they demonstrate that we continue to promote Johan’s life project.@JohanCruyff#25YearsOfCreatingSpace#CruyffLegacy pic.twitter.com/mC0KMSgChl

— Joan Laporta Estruch (@JoanLaportaFCB) October 7, 2022

“I entered the Super League as Barca’s representative with everything already well advanced. My criteria was, leave a closed league, we have to make an open Super League, where there is a meritocracy.

“Another thing that we have to combine is the Super League with the leagues of each country. For me that is very important. I believe in the leagues of each country and for me it would be a mistake for the Super League to replace the leagues.”

Laporta believes further tweaks to the Champions League, despite a new 36-team format having already been announced for the 2024-25 season onwards, are required, however.

He explained: “[We] need an improved Champions League, with a very good competition format, which will surely be the most attractive competition in the world.

“But at the same time you have to maintain the [domestic] leagues, this is essential.”