Laporta: Barcelona is playing the best football in the world

Barcelona club president Joan Laporta gave an interview to media before the team's away match against Galatasaray.

Before the official luncheon with Galatasaray club executives in Istanbul, Laporta spoke about the team's current state.

He said, "It feels good. This is a Champions League match, the best club competition in the world. We are currently in a very good phase. Yesterday we watched the team train; the intensity was high, and the players were very motivated. We feel good."

Regarding Barcelona's goals for the season, Laporta stated, "More than a feeling, our desire is to be contenders for all the competitions we participate in. We are a very competitive team with a very balanced squad; Deco and his team have done an excellent job."

"Now the demands on us are high, very high. We had a good start in La Liga, and next February we will be back here for the Spanish Super Cup. Once the Copa del Rey begins, we also hope to be title contenders. And the Champions League—you know we all have high expectations for it, not just the players, but also the coaching staff, sports management, the board, and all Barcelona fans. This year we have set the Champions League as one of our goals."

Regarding the level of play Barcelona is currently demonstrating, Laporta said, "Yes, Barcelona is currently the best team playing. I say this very humbly, but we are playing the best football in Europe, and therefore the best football in the world."

"There are other teams performing very well, such as Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich, who are also contenders for various competitions. Of course, there will always be some dark horses, and that must also be taken into account."

"But in terms of football quality, we are currently playing the best. And we are not only playing better, but also playing attractively. This will make football fans, especially Barcelona fans, enjoy the game. We are playing enjoyable football that everyone loves, and I like it very much."

Regarding Flick's previous mention of the team's desire to win, Laporta said, "Flick is the one who knows the team best. If he says he sees this ambition and hunger, it's certainly because he feels it in every training session and experiences it when he's with the coaching staff and players. If Flick says so, then it is so."

"We are title contenders, and we have already identified the Champions League as one of our goals for this year."

Laporta also believes that the team's current positive locker room atmosphere is a significant factor in Barcelona's excellent performance.

He said, "The key to everything is having team spirit and a good locker room atmosphere, which Flick and his team, as well as Deco and his team, have achieved together. The combination of Deco and Flick is working, and the team has this atmosphere and ambition."

"Everyone who plays performs very well, and those who don't play want to do even better than those who have played."

Regarding the team's recent winning streak, Laporta said he had not paid particular attention to the so-called "ten consecutive wins."

He said, "We are winning games, and that's what we care about. I hadn't paid special attention to the ten consecutive wins before. I know we have won eight consecutive games in La Liga, which is already a record, and I hope this momentum continues."

When asked about Yamal's contention for the Ballon d'Or, Laporta said, "I hope Yamal wins the Ballon d'Or; he deserves it."

When asked about the controversies related to Real Madrid and Vinicius, Laporta first joked, "If I don't talk about Vinicius, they'll make me talk."

However, he then clearly stated he did not wish to engage in the debate: "I have nothing to say. I will not discuss Real Madrid's complaints; I will only talk about Barcelona. We are currently in Turkey, playing against Galatasaray, and then we will have an official luncheon in Istanbul. This is a fantastic city, and if anyone hasn't been here yet, I recommend visiting it."

Speaking about Galatasaray's home atmosphere, Laporta said, "This stadium is like hell; I've been here before. It's full of football atmosphere, which is the kind of game you love to be part of."

Laporta emphasized that Barcelona currently wants not only to maintain a good playing standard but also to remain competitive across all competitions this season, with the Champions League being explicitly listed by the club as one of its key goals.

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