We Didn’t Want to Get Into a Fight
Joan Laporta’s Joy: Now It’s Inter and La Liga’s Turn
Joan Laporta says his team must now strive for victory in La Liga and the UEFA Champions League.
According to “Varzesh3,” Barcelona defeated Real Madrid 3-2 in an exciting final that went into extra time on Saturday, winning the Copa del Rey. Laporta couldn’t hide his joy after the victory at La Cartuja Stadium, clearly thrilled that his team secured the title.
Laporta told TV3: “I’m very happy. Infinitely happy for all Barcelona fans—those who were here and those supporting us worldwide. This match had everything: passion, competition, and high-quality football.”
The Barça president emphasized the match’s difficulty and his team’s merit: “We couldn’t lose. In a Barça-Real final, anything can happen. We had a great opponent. The first half belonged to us, but when we didn’t score the second goal, Real managed to equalize. After that, we played with great faith. Frenkie, Pedri, Raphinha, Lamine—everyone. This was a collective victory. We dominated midfield, and that was key.”
Laporta highlighted unity and commitment in the dressing room: “This is a very united team. They are Barça supporters at heart. We can trust their talent, effort, and commitment. They have a coach and technical staff we can be proud of.”
With another trophy added to the club’s honors, Laporta looks ahead: “This victory gives us great morale for La Liga. Anything is possible, but we still have a tough battle ahead. Today’s win gives us strength to keep competing. We want to win La Liga too.”
Laporta particularly emphasized the role of La Masia graduates: “As in Barça’s history, we have a strong presence of young players in the team. They were the first to believe they could win. They have tremendous confidence. The coach must manage their excitement because sometimes they seem a bit cheeky, but what they really have is an intense thirst for victory.”
He was also optimistic about the Champions League: “Flick knows what he’s doing. Inter is a great team, but we are better.”
Laporta avoided entering the controversy with Real Madrid after pre-match tensions: “We focused on this final. We wanted to talk about performance, passion, and competition—but above all, about playing football. We weren’t interested in other strategies, and we won.”