Joan Laporta, president of FC Barcelona, defended his administration's handling of the Dani Olmo situation and pointed out on Tuesday that there is a campaign to tarnish the club's image.
In a press conference on Tuesday, Laporta stated that certain media outlets and opposition figures within the club wanted Barcelona to fail in their efforts to register Spanish midfielder Dani Olmo. However, the Catalan club ultimately succeeded in registering the player on their roster through a government decision.
Laporta explained: "What has happened in recent weeks confirms Barcelona's strength and contradicts the dreadful narratives being pushed in certain circles due to either ignorance or ill intent."
He added: "If we look at Barcelona's history and its origins, certain individuals, supported by the media, have been working together to create a disgraceful story unrelated to reality. This pattern has repeated itself over time. I’m pleased they didn’t succeed."
Barcelona managed to register both Olmo and forward Pau VÃctor following intervention from government sports authorities. This outcome contrasted with the decision by the Spanish Football Federation and La Liga to prevent the club from registering players due to non-compliance with financial fair play regulations by last year's deadline.
Laporta highlighted that both Olmo and VÃctor, along with their families, suffered greatly from the uncertainty surrounding their registration status. He praised his team and German coach Hansi Flick for their professionalism in handling the matter during the resolution process.
He also confirmed that Barcelona secured an additional €300 million ($308 million) by renegotiating their sponsorship deal with Nike. He noted: "This is the best outcome we could have achieved."
