Joan Laporta, half a year at the helm of Barça: What is the balance of his management?

The FC Barcelona is a Russian mountain, sportive and institucionalmente, from does some years. Joan Laporta, after winning the presidential elections of the past 7 March, was called to be the 'hero' of the Barcelona, but was too conditioned by the previous management, starred by Josep María Bartomeu, the debts, the very high mass salarial and all the folders of urgent that there is in the offices. That seem never finish and that, without place to doubts, leave to the club in a delicate situation.

'Jan' was backed by the big successes and tarpaulins in his first stage like Barcelona president, that finished with the historical 'sextete' with Pep Guardiola in the benches. It was the man for the illusion and to look for that the Barça resurgiera of his ashes. Six months afterwards, as he has defined it, the club is still in UCI and well is true that half year is not sufficient to raise to a complete entity, but the famous 'forms' of which so much spoke with Bartomeu, follow presents in Can Barça.

The beginning of Joan Laporta has been marked by the improvisation, the promises and, of some way, disappointments with the results. Further that it achieved the guarantees 'in extremis' and that was peligrando until, literally, the last moment, the subject of the promises has been the more resaltante, after all what spoke in his presidential campaign and first months to the control of the club, especially therefore that it was the only that could convince to Leo Messi to renew with the team.

It showed, in any case, that the ignorance of the real situation of the club, financially speaking, was deep, tohimself as of the politics of economic control of LaLiga, the 'fair play' financial of Javier Thebes. Laporta Recognised that it thought that lace measured were different, therefore it thought that it could bring of return to Neymar or that Haaland was an option. At all more far of the reality and, although they did not have figures of the audit, results inexplicable that the directors did not go conscious of the red numbers of als accounts of the club and that, instead, promised a sinfín of things.

The exit of Leo Messi has been the big stain of the first months of Laporta. It is not his fault, this is clear. The "nefasta" management of Bartomeu and company conditioned all his margin of action and for the Barça was impossible to become attached to the rule '1 to 4' that it was the only that allowed the registration of the Argentinian (and the rest of signings) with the mass salarial to the limit. It is necessary to remember, if Messi went to earn 40 'kilos' gross by season, the club had to free 160 million euros. Something impossible.

It has not been the only, nevertheless. The subject of Ronald Koeman, trainer of the first team, is a point resaltante that does not be necessary to forget. After the end of season, when the Barça 'threw' the League to the rubbish in the last days, the two gathered in the Camp Nou and warned him: they went to look for a substitute, by what asked him a term of 15 days to resolve his situation. A 'papelón' against a legend of the Barcelona team, independently of what happened in the season or no.

The economic situation went back to affect and, in front of the impossibility to pay the clear (and the punishment to Xavi Hernández for supporting to Víctor Font?), the club 'reflexionó' and gave continuity to Koeman. "It has reflexionado and has decided give continuity to Koeman because we are satisfied of how has gone this period of reflection. We have known us more. Ronald has had a flawless behaviour and have looked for solutions to small divergences. That it follow it is the best for the Barça", explained in his moment. Subject resolved and two signings to please to the Dutch.

The market of signings, tarpaulin or main sin?

The window of transfers of the Barça was a complete madness. The club, just after the end of season, announced four signings: Sergio Agüero, Eric García, Emerson Royal and Memphis Depay. 'Jan' promised three or four more, but finally finished leaving the Brazilian and arrived Luuk of Jong in the straight final of the summer. The positive, in any case, is that the club achieved to give exit to players with which did not explain : Miralem Pjanic, Konrad de la Fuente, Junior Firpo or Francisco Trincãor.

Also it went Antoine Griezmann in the final day of the market of signings, with destination to the Athletic of Madrid in a compulsory conveyance with option to buy of 40 million euros. In definite, the Barça freed almost 90 'kilos' in the market and this supposes a big relief for the accounts of the club, that already were too touched.

The 'miracles' of the captains

In the straight final of the market also produced the discounts salariales to take care more the economy of the club. Gerard Hammered, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba accessed to renounce to an important percentage of his wages and to postpone another for before it finish his agreement with the club. it is negotiating , now, the renewal of Sergi Roberto, that would see also an important reduction in his wage, although this already was very inferior to the of his mates.

In the horn, before 31 August, Laporta and company achieved resolver the most urgent subjects, especially in the mass salarial, leaving a 'break' to the club to economic level. To follow like this, the blaigrana could pose a signing in January. The big investments go to take , this is clear, but no longer see so far as when the mass salarial represented 110% of the planned income.

To see changes, it is necessary to expect

It is a reality that the first half year of Laporta remained far of the expectations that the barcelonismo had when it did takeover. Nevertheless, it remains margin to act, but is necessary, more than ever, the realism and the transparency with the accounts and the true situation of the club. Of there, that the reunion of 'Jan' with the partners, in the General Assembly that will celebrate around the middle of October, was as little key. The accounts are necessary; the 'culprits' also.

It is necessary to leave to cover the gaps and begin to look to in front, but the truth has to go out to the first light. The promises are entirely unnecessary, unfair if we are honest. The Barça is not in his best moment, perhaps the worst, but it is necessary to do clear plans, that the partners can understand. And only with the accounts in hands, the list of managers and the plan of clear action goes to be possible to see the light, in a near future, at the end of the tunnel.