With all the turmoil at Barcelona lately, it makes sense that club members would want to revert to the glory days, and with Josep Maria Bartomeu’s unceremonious exit already in the past, the rebuild officially begins with the appointment of the next president.
According to an exclusive poll run by Mundo Deportivo, former president Joan Laporta is leading the race by a very large margin ahead of the elections on January 24.
Barcelona: Exclusive Poll Shows Laporta as Heavy Favourite for President
Poll Results
The preliminary poll showed a massive lead for Laporta ahead of the other candidates. Of course, the poll took a smaller sample size, and the results could vary in the actual election.
The former president tallied 52.3 per cent of all votes, with Victor Font a very distant second at 13.2 per cent. Behind them, none of the candidates displayed substantial numbers (all less than four per cent). Of the club members polled, 17 per cent also said they were not sure who they would vote for yet.
Font is a very interesting candidate, particularly because of the endorsement he received from Xavi Hernandez. He guarantees that Xavi will return immediately if he becomes president. His ideas are fairly similar to Laporta’s, but he is more idealistic and unproven.
Ultimately, it appears that fans want someone they can rely on at the helm, and Laporta is that man.
Laporta: The Epitome of Barcelona Glory Days
Laporta is arguably the least competent president Barcelona have had. He oversaw the club from 2003-2010, during its most successful years of all time. His tenure culminated in two Champions League trophies and four league championships, as well as the rise of some homegrown superstars.
The former president can take credit for putting the system in place for the likes of Lionel Messi, Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Gerard Pique, to name a few, to succeed. During Laporta’s time in charge, La Masia was undoubtedly the best academy in the world.
However, the past few presidents have got away from what made Barca so successful, and it ultimately has left the club in utter financial ruin. The situation was so frail that they could not spend less than £20 million on the much-needed Eric Garcia.
Laporta represents a return back to the successful days, and unlike other candidates, he is a proven entity. In other words, when he lays out his presidential plans, people can trust him, because the world saw first-hand what he did for seven years. He will likely run the club just like he did before, which is exactly what Barcelona fans want.
Although the election itself is all that matters, the poll gives a pretty good idea of what to expect. Barring any shocking developments, Joan Laporta will be the Barcelona president on January 24.
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