Laporta: if North stand at Camp Nou opens, Barca could overturn Atletico

Laporta announced at his campaign headquarters that if he wins the election, economist Oriol Amat will serve as chairman of the club's statutory economic committee. 

Subsequently, he praised Barça's performance in the 3-0 match against Atletico Madrid. Although the team was eventually eliminated, he said that if they could get the 1C license and open the North Stand, Barça could have scored more goals.

The former Barça president said of the Copa del Rey semi-final: "I am very grateful to the players, they put on a great performance and gave it their all. We are proud of the team, the coach and Deco. The Barça fans are happy and everyone can feel that. If Cubarsi's goal in the first leg had not been disallowed, we would have had a chance to qualify."

He admitted: "There's nothing to say about the result, Atletico qualified, but what's gratifying is that we gave the team a ten-minute applause after the game." He stressed: "The pride brought by this game is far stronger than the disappointment of the defeat. The fans' involvement in this semi-final and the atmosphere in the stadium were moving."

Laporta said regretfully: "We failed to score a fourth goal, and the result of the first leg was not ideal. It was the first-half performance that dragged us down, and Cubarsi's disallowed goal."

Speaking about the stadium issue, he further stated: "The failure to open the North Stand has affected us. Now two-thirds of the stadium is full, and the fans are chanting and cheering even before the game starts, the atmosphere is already excellent. If the North Stand could also be filled with fans, we could have scored more goals."

He explained: "The relevant parties said that the relevant permits would be implemented before the election date, and we'll wait and see, hoping it will come true this time. I still don't understand why the permits for the North Stand and the 1957 stand have not been approved."

He firmly believes: "I always believe in everyone's sincerity, and I am sure that the relevant parties are willing to issue the permits. There may be unexpected situations, but hopefully, they won't happen. If we could open the North Stand, the game against Atletico would have been more advantageous, scoring more goals to complete a great comeback."

Laporta reiterated: "We are proud of this team and their efforts. They may have regrets, but seeing the reaction of the fans in the stadium will definitely give them extra motivation. With the current Camp Nou, we can still compete for various championships. Imagine the scene where the North Stand is open and the entire stadium is full of fans, that would be a key factor in Barça's success."

Regarding La Liga's official announcement to increase the team's salary cap, Laporta said: "This is great news and proves that Deco's work is excellent. The team's lineup is very reasonable, with both player renewals and new signings. Our athletic planning is very effective. In addition, Deco has also performed well in economic management, and the improvement of the team's financial fairness is the best proof."

He also talked about the team's 1:1 financial situation: "We have submitted an interim financial report to UEFA, and the team's pressure in terms of signings is getting smaller and smaller. We have an excellent lineup and only need to make some adjustments. Deco is strategizing in the office, and Flick is deploying troops on the sidelines. If my campaign team is successfully elected, we will make the necessary adjustments, and we are also investigating some positions, but overall, we are very proud of the current lineup."