Barcelona expressed deep disappointment after falling short of reaching the Copa del Rey final, suffering a 4-3 aggregate defeat to Atletico Madrid in the semi-finals, which wrapped up on Tuesday.
Joan Laporta, vying for a fourth term as president, was present at the Spotify Camp Nou and, according to MD, he addressed the media the following day to convey his pride in the team’s performance during the second leg.
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“I’m incredibly grateful to the players; they put on a brilliant display and left everything on the pitch. We take pride in the team, the coach, and Deco. The fans were elated, and it was evident. Had it not been for Cubarsí’s disallowed goal in the first leg, we might have advanced.”
“There’s nothing to be said about the result; Atlético advanced. However, it was heartwarming to spend ten minutes applauding the team. The pride we felt in the match far outweighs the disappointment; the fans’ experience throughout this semi-final and the atmosphere in the stadium spoke volumes.”
Image via Sport / EFE
Laporta: Attendance Issues Impacted Performance
Laporta lamented that the Barcelona City Council’s decision to limit attendance by 17,000 fans at the match likely had a significant impact.
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“Not having the North Stand open penalized us. Despite having two-thirds of the stadium filled with enthusiastic fans, the atmosphere was fantastic. If the Gol Nord had been full, we might have scored even more goals.”
“We hear they will make a decision before election day; we will see if that actually happens. We hope this time it proves real because it’s difficult to understand why both the Gol Nord and the Grada d’Animació, the Grada 1957, aren’t allowed to host fans.”
Laporta: “Minor Adjustments” Expected for Squad
Laporta also touched on Barcelona’s future plans regarding the 1:1 rule, anticipating its implementation soon. However, he clarified that this does not mean there will be drastic changes to the squad over the summer.
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“We have presented the interim reports to UEFA, and the pressure to add the necessary personnel is decreasing. We have a solid squad, but some adjustments need to be made. Deco is working in the offices, and Hansi is on the bench. If I’m re-elected, we’ll make the necessary modifications and are already working on specific positions, but we take pride in our current squad.”