Joan Laporta secures five more years as Barcelona president. The choice was never exciting. Victor Font received just under 30 percent of the votes – despite a high stakes for Erling Haaland.
The 63-year-old Laporta has led the club through a turbulent period characterized by huge debts, sporting downturns and internal conflicts. Nevertheless, he won the trust for five more years. The election results show that members prefer continuity to uncertain promises.
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For Victor Font, the defeat was a fact. His big election card was to promise the members a future signing of Erling Braut Haaland. Last week, Sport reported that Font’s allies, Carles Planchart and Xavier Aguilar, had met with representatives from Manchester City to explore the possibilities of a preferential deal on the Norwegian. The aim was to secure a purchase option that would have given Barcelona the first choice when Haaland one day leaves City.
“A hasty investment”
The problem? The deal was not in place. And voters were not impressed by promises without realities behind them.
For Haaland himself, there is no urgency anyway. The 24-year-old has a contract with Manchester City until 2034, and is unlikely to be used as a pawn in an off-pitch election. Font’s attempt to hijack votes with the Norwegian as a lure therefore worked poorly.
Laporta was able to provide more tangible results: reduced debt, sporting stabilisation and a clear course going forward. And although Haaland is of course also tempting for him, he has avoided promising the impossible.
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What now for Haaland and Barcelona?
Barcelona are still dreaming of Haaland – especially considering that Robert Lewandowski is coming to the end of his career. But the road to get there is long and tortuous. With Laporta at the helm for another five years, the club is likely to focus on a more realistic transfer policy: young talent, strategic acquisitions and financial sustainability.
For Victor Font, the Haaland venture ended up as an election promise with no strings attached. And in Barcelona, it is Laporta who will build the future – with or without the Norwegian at the helm.
Andreas Schelderup has managed to turn his life around under Jose Mourinho and delivers so well both in the domestic league in Portugal and in the Champions League. – Transfermarkt believes he is worth 15 million euros, about a tenth of Erling Braut Haaland.
Norwegian players are doing well around the major European leagues – and out in Europe such as Bodø/Gliimt. A 21-year-old has played his way onto Barcelona’s radar this season, two weeks ago scouts from the La Liga giant sat in the stands and watched “player of the match”. On Saturday, the Spaniards were again in the stands to get the Norwegian player with them.
In the Champions League, Andreas Schelderup scored twice as the “player of the match” in the wild 4-2 win over Real Madrid at the end of January. At the beginning of the month, the 21-year-old was back as the match winner and the best of the match. This time, the Barcelona scouts sat ready in the stands and took notes diligently.
According to the Spanish newspaper Diario AS, Bardelona is very interested in the Norwegian winger. Sporting director Deco is said to have personally been given the overall responsibility for following Schjelderup’s development closely, The interest is said to be so concrete that Barcelona had scouts physically present in the stands during the match in the Portuguese league. Schelderup responded to the interest with a beautiful match-winning goal and award as player of the match.
On Saturday, Schelderup went again in front of the Barcelona scouts. According to O Jogo, the Spaniards were in the stands when Benfica won 2-1 against Arouca and the 21-year-old was behind an assist.
In 2026, Jose Mourinho has given the 21-year-old plenty of playing time, Schelderup has responded to the trust with several game-deciding goals (2 in the Champions League, 3 in the Portuguese league), on Saturday also an assist to another narrow victory and still in the title race, seven points behind Porto at the top.
According to the Portuguese newspaper, Barcelona’s scouts have been following Schelderup closely this season, and it is likely that the La Liga giants will make a bid for the 21-year-old in the summer transfer window.
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