The fans who cheered on Rashford are about to have a presidential election. In mid-March they will decide who will lead Barcelona for the next five years. Current President Laporta is the favorite to extend his second term, which began in 2021. He owes much of his popularity to the era of Pep Guardiola and Lionel Messi.
Die Times reports that Laporta’s current mandate “is more pragmatic and he is running for re-election less as a courageous idealist and more as a skilled firefighter.” He has tried to steer FC Barcelona through difficult financial times while overseeing an extensive renovation of the Camp Nou.
There was a search for bargains in the transfer market, with Rashford thought to be available at a fraction of his previous market value. The Times points out that “all of these aspects of the Rashford package fit well into Laporta’s election manifesto”.
However, the competitors for the presidency will demand more. Victor Font, another leading candidate, has urged supporters to “decide whether we want to continue with a 1980s-style system centered around a single person, or whether we opt for a pluralistic project that brings together the best in the world in all areas to maintain sporting success and secure the future of the club”.
Laporta is helped by the fact that Barcelona are currently top of La Liga, are in the round of 16 of the Champions League and the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey and have already beaten Clásico rivals Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup.
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date: 2026-02-09 15:21:00