Latest news with #JoanLaporta
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Joan Laporta sends Camp Nou message to Barcelona fans
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has provided an update on the club's ongoing efforts to return to the Spotify Camp Nou. The subject of Barca's return to their beloved home ground has of course taken its place centre stage in the headlines in Catalunya's capital once more over the last week. This comes after word was forthcoming that as much, again, had been delayed. After originally announcing plans to play next month's Joan Gamper Trophy match at the newly-renovated Camp Nou, the Blaugrana were forced to alter their plans, with the fixture now due to be played at Montjuïc. Speaking during an interview with this week, it therefore came as little surprise when the subject of the ongoing Camp Nou construction was put to Joan Laporta once more. And the Spanish patron went on to provide a lengthy response, with the key takeaway as follows: 'We're not considering the option of not returning to Spotify Camp Nou. Another season at Montjuïc wouldn't make sense. We will return to Spotify Camp Nou as soon as possible.' Conor Laird – GSFN
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Inside Marcus Rashford's five-star welcome to Barcelona: Man United exile given VIP treatment at £156-per-head restaurant visited by Barack Obama and Steven Spielberg
Marcus Rashford celebrated his loan move to Barcelona by dining out with the club's president Joan Laporta and other members of the board at one of the city's most exclusive restaurants on Wednesday night. The 27-year-old forward, who has been pursuing an escape from Manchester United since his six-month loan spell at Aston Villa came to an end earlier this summer, finally got his wish by teaming up with LaLiga giants Barcelona on Monday. The loan agreement also allows Barcelona to sign Rashford on a permanent deal next summer for a fee in the region of £30million. Given a five-star welcome by the Catalan giants, Rashford was wined and dined at exclusive £156-per-head Amar restaurant in Barcelona, with 18 people attending the dinner. Rock icon Bruce Springsteen, former USA president Barack Obama and esteemed film director Steven Spielberg are among the famous faces to have dined at the luxury brasserie. Dishes of tuna belly, prawns, crab cannelloni and 'mongetes' from Santa Pau were served to the table, with Rashford and Co offered an opportunity to sample a variety of delicacies. The group, according to Spanish outlet El Periodico, completed the feast with wagyu meat and Galician blonde, before having the restaurant's famous cheesecake for dessert. After the meal, Rashford and Laporta posed for a photograph with the chefs, waiting staff and sommeliers, both beaming at their excitement over the new chapter. Speaking at his unveiling as a Barcelona player, Rashford expressed his delight at signing for the Spanish giants and said it will be a 'joy' to play for the club. 'I am very excited, I think it's a club where people's dreams come true,' Rashford said. 'What the club stands for means a lot to me as well and it feels like I'm at home, and this is a big factor in my choice. It's a family club people are comfortable here and it's a good place for people to show their skills. 'I try to make decisive actions and fast dynamic plays and I always like good football so I've always been a fan of watching Barcelona from a young age. 'It's going to be a joy for me to play here and I'm going to enjoy every minute of it.' 'I am definitely full of excitement and hunger to go out and try an help the team win. It's all smiles for Rashford at the Nou Camp - both at his unveiling and during training sessions It marks a drastic change from his last few months at Manchester United, where he has been placed in Ruben Amorim's five-man bomb squad following a loan spell at Aston Villa 'They won so much last year and I can see the ambition is to do better than last year. 'As a player that's what you want to hear, it keeps you improving year on year and that's what you need to be the best version of yourself.' Rashford added that he had 'very positive' talks with Barcelona boss Hansi Flick, who he described as one of the games' 'top coaches'. The Manchester United exile, who had been placed alongside fellow outcasts Alejandro Garnacho, Antony, Tyrell Malacia and Jadon Sancho in Ruben Amorim's five-man summer bomb squad, looked like a man reborn after touching down in Spain to complete his move. Rashford, set to wear No 14 at the Nou Camp, was pictured grinning in training alongside Spanish superstar Lamine Yamal - and several fans even claimed he had enjoyed a 'glow-up' after being pictured at his unveiling. Rashford is understood to have taken 15 per cent pay cut from his £315,000-a-week Man United wage to join Barcelona. During his successful loan stint at Aston Villa, he scored three goals and contributed four assists across all competitions as Unai Emery 's side reached the Champions League quarter-finals.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Marcus Rashford looks like a man reborn after leaving Man United for Barcelona... this opening chapter to his new life in Spain could scarcely have gone better, writes NATHAN SALT
As the black Mercedes people carrier carrying Marcus Rashford and his entourage turned the corner towards the offices at the Camp Nou, a crowd of giddy youngsters suddenly sprung into life. Some had already started live streaming on social media, others begged parents to go on their shoulders for a better look. One brave child even decided to climb the fence to get a prime view of Rashford walking into the stadium. Out he stepped in a tailored black suit - the decision to forgo a tie was a wise one in the muggy 27-degree heat - with a smile as big as it has been for some time. He waved to the fans clamouring for autographs before heading inside to meet Barcelona president Joan Laporta. Marcus Mania, to coin the chaos, was alive and well. Around by the club shop another large crowd had formed, most eager to catch a glimpse of a player and a man that has caused great fascination in recent days. Mail Sport had to fight through the crowd to make it in. Inside the shop a flurry of Rashford shirts were being hastily unpacked by workers and there was a frantic search for spare hangers. Papers such as Mundo Deportivo ran a story explaining the meaning behind Rashford's tattoos, other outlets discussed his bold fashion. Very few who lined the streets outside the Camp Nou cared one iota about him being cast aside by Manchester United. In fact the only similarity to Manchester for much of this ceremonial affair was the weather. Of course it had to rain on Rashford's big day. But what was apparent throughout a long day of interviews, announcements and autograph signings was that Rashford is happy and healthy. As he stood on the top floor of the club shop to face up to the Spanish press for the first team, photographers sprawled across the floor and a dozen-plus cameras broadcasting his every word, Rashford looked content, confident even, that his recent down years at United do not define him. 'The situation with [Manchester] United - the club is in a period of change and they have been for a while,' he said. 'I don't have anything bad to say about Man United. It's been an important part of not only my career but my life, and I'm very grateful for the opportunity to play for them. 'But football is the same as life, and not everything goes as simple as you may think. 'This is my next step, my next chapter, and I'm fully focused on this and trying to improve myself and help the team win trophies. 'I don't have anything to say about United, I hope they are successful in the future. I'm focused here and I'm ready to play and experience this club.' And that was that for questions on Manchester United. A classy response to a saga that was on the precipice of turning ugly after being bombed out by Ruben Amorim and put into a 'bomb squad' group that were told they could only arrive at Carrington to train after he and the first team had gone home. 'I'm in a good place,' he added. He looked it too. No inkling of resentment. No suggestion of revenge. He smiled, laughed on occasion, and simply looked like a man at peace with the ups and downs of a whirlwind career that can be traced all the way back to his senior United debut in February 2016. Stood in the wings was his mum Melanie, brothers Dane and Dwaine, as well as some other agents and intermediaries. They all lit up in unison as he spoke. On the wall that Rashford was facing as he coolly took on a flurry of questions about his motivations, his early impressions of the city and the team, and his conversations with boss Hansi Flick, was a collage of the great Johan Cruyff. It was his No 14 shirt that Rashford chose, not the No 19 once worn by Lionel Messi and the number Rashford was once owner of at Manchester United. 'It's a traditional number for the club and it's a unique club,' he added. 'Everything about the club is special and to wear this shirt is an honour.' This is the third time Barcelona have tried to sign Rashford. They tried first in 2019 and now, six years later, the pair are together. It's a place, as Rashford put it, where 'dreams come true'. 'I want to win the biggest trophies and I feel like Barcelona is a huge club in the football world so it's the perfect place to go and win the biggest trophies. 'You saw last season they have a very young team ambitious team and I want to come and add my qualities and personality and try to improve the team.' Rashford had barely broken sweat, which was impressive given the near 30-degree temperatures all day in a suit, before he was ushered out the door ahead of a customary dinner with Barcelona's top executives in a high-end restaurant. Once upon a time his dream as a young kid growing up in Wythenshawe was to pull on the shirt of Manchester United. Rashford got to live that dream. Now, at 27, it's time to realise another. For the first time in a long time Rashford looked like that kid that was dreaming of playing football, the one who was climbing the fence to catch even the smallest glimpse. Dreams change and new stories are continuously written. As for an opening chapter of life in Barcelona, this one couldn't have gone much better.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
⚖️Negreira case: Luis Enrique, Valverde and Laporta to give evidence
The anti-corruption prosecutor's office requested that Joan Laporta, the current president of Barcelona, Luis Enrique, and Ernesto Valverde, former coaches, provide clarification. The Public Ministry asks them to clarify the "reason for the payments" made by the Barça team to the "shell companies" of José María Enríquez Negreira. In the case of the tactical heads, they must explain whether they received reports on the match referees prepared by Negreira's son. And, obviously, if these had "real effectiveness in the planning of the matches." This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here. 📸 David Ramos - 2023 Getty Images
The Independent
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Marcus Rashford leaves Man United on loan to seal dream move to Barcelona
Marcus Rashford has joined Barcelona on loan for the season as he has left Manchester United for the second time in 2025. The Spanish champions have an option to buy Rashford next summer for €30m with the forward unlikely to have a future at Old Trafford as long as Ruben Amorim remains United manager. Rashford signed his contract in front of Barcelona president Joan Laporta but it remains to be seen when the Catalan club will be able to register him in their La Liga squad. United are expected to save around £12m in wages, with Rashford among the best-paid players at Old Trafford. However, they have had to loan him out for a second successive transfer window, after he joined Aston Villa in February, and they are yet to recoup a transfer fee for him, while they have spent up to £133m on new forwards in this transfer window. Rashford, who had talked about wanting to play alongside Lamine Yamal, has got the move he wanted while Barcelona sporting director Deco and manager Hansi Flick had both spoken in public about their interest in him. But Barcelona also made an approach for Luis Diaz, which Liverpool rebuffed, and came close to signing Nico Williams, who instead he chose to sign a new contract at Athletic Bilbao, before turning back to Rashford. United had claimed that he, Antony, Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho and Tyrell Malacia had asked to leave as they were not allowed to train with Ruben Amorim's first team in pre-season. Rashford has scored 138 goals in 426 games for United but did not feature in their final 13 games before he signed for Villa, being omitted from the squad for 12 of them. He scored four times in 17 games on loan for Villa, who did not take up their option to buy him for £40m.
