Laporta delivers pep talk to Barcelona locker room ahead of Atletico Madrid clash
Laporta delivers pep talk to Barcelona locker room ahead of Atletico Madrid clash On Saturday night, FC Barcelona return to action after a two-week hiatus due to the international window, as they face Atletico Madrid in La Liga . The match kickstarts what will be an immensely tricky run of matches for the Blaugrana , one that could end up defining their season. Laporta’s rallying cry Given the importance of what is coming up ahead, AS reports that Joan Laporta played a central role in the buildup to Barcelona’s match against Atletico Madrid, delivering a message of encouragement to the squad ahead of the decisive phase of the season.
The president-elect, who will officially assume his role on 1 July, entered the dressing room, alongside interim president Rafa Yuste, to meet with head coach Hansi Flick and address the players. Laporta urged the team to focus on the final stretch of the campaign, with two major titles still at stake: La Liga and the UEFA Champions League. During his visit, Laporta congratulated the international players who have qualified for the World Cup, while expressing regret over the absence of Robert Lewandowski as Poland missed out on qualification.
Laporta calls for extra effort from the Barcelona squad. (Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images) He reminded the squad to set aside thoughts of the tournament for now and concentrate fully on the remaining two months of the season, which could define the club’s history. The president-elect also addressed the injury-enforced absence of Raphinha, but emphasised that the team’s strength lies in its collective performance rather than individual contributions.
In this context, he highlighted the work of Flick in building a cohesive unit. Laporta acknowledged that many players are reaching this stage of the season physically exhausted due to a demanding schedule, but called for one final effort and a strong demonstration of commitment. This marks the second time Laporta has entered the dressing room as president-elect.
The first occasion came two days after winning the election, when he thanked the squad for their support during the campaign. This latest visit was focused on motivating the team towards achieving their objectives. Barcelona currently lead La Liga by four points over Real Madrid, while in the Champions League, they face a challenging quarterfinal tie against Atletico Madrid, who eliminated them from the Copa del Rey earlier this season.