SOCCER-BARCELONA/LAPORTA Laporta to highlight UNICEF or similar cause on shirt if re-elected Barca president

Record ID: 148866

  • Title: SOCCER-BARCELONA/LAPORTA Laporta to highlight UNICEF or similar cause on shirt if re-elected Barca president
  • Date: 30th June 2015
  • Summary: BARCELONA, SPAIN (JUNE 29, 2015) (REUTER) VARIOUS OF FORMER BARCELONA FC PRESIDENT JOAN LAPORTA ARRIVING FOR INTERVIEW POSTER READING IN CATALAN "FOR BARCELONA, LAPORTA PRESIDENT" / LAPORTA SEATED FOR INTERVIEW (SOUNDBITE) (English) CANDIDATE FOR BARCELONA FC PRESIDENT JOAN LAPORTA SAYING: "I´ll do my best, I´ll do my best in order to get a sponsor that makes possible that
  • Embargoed: 15th July 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Spain
  • Country: Spain
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVACKD5TLHQOMFTTVDZMVHUFRAYL
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Former Barcelona president Joan Laporta said on Monday (June 29) he will do his best to put UNICEF or another humanitarian cause back in a prominent position on the shirt if he returns to the president's post in next month's elections.
    Laporta negotiated the initial deal with UNICEF almost ten years ago during his previous spell as president from 2003 to 2010 which saw a name put on the shirt for the first time in the club's history.
    Under the last board, led by Sandro Rosell and then Josep Maria Bartomeu, deals were struck to have first the Qatar Foundation, and then Qatar Airways, on the front of the shirt while the UNICEF logo was relegated to the back.
    Now Laporta wants to have a humanitarian cause back in a high profile position on the shirt to underline the club's traditional values.
    "I´ll do my best, I´ll do my best in order to get an sponsor that makes possible that football club Barcelona has UNICEF again in our shirt. UNICEF or another motif, another leitmotif in our shirt similar for the meaning that UNICEF is projecting for football club Barcelona," he told Reuters on Monday.
    Laporta, who said Barca were respected around the world when he was president, not just for their soccer but for their work with UNICEF, has doubts that the contract with Qatar, that runs until next year, is the best option for the club.
    The 53-year-old lawyer named former Barcelona´s left back Eric Abidal as his technical secretary.
    Laporta hopes the relation between Abidal and France midfielder Paul Pogba could help reach an agreement to sign the Juventus starlet.
    "Yes, I was talking with Eric Abidal and with the members that will be involved in the sporting department and you know, all of them. We have the coincidence that he (Paul Pogba) would be a great player to be incorporated to football club Barcelona. Because you know he has high quality as a player, he is a very talented player but at the same time he is very strong. As a midfielder for football club Barcelona he would be a great incorporation," he said.
    Laporta, who held the top job between 2003 and 2010 and is one of the frontrunners, along with incumbent Josep Maria Bartomeu, is eager to return to the helm.
    "I hope we will get the confidence of the supporters. And well we are developing this campaign and our proposals you know, day by day in order to explain to the supporters what we think about football club Barcelona as more than a club," he said.
    Alongside Pep Guardiola in 2008 he built one of the best teams in the world.
    Despite the good sports results Laporta faces stiff opposition from outgoing president Bartomeu in the elections on July 18 following Barcelona's treble success last season.
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