Barcelona President Joan Laporta criticizes referees, claiming Real Madrid would receive more attention

In a recent interview with Marca, Barcelona President Joan Laporta expressed his frustration over what he perceives as differential treatment given to his team compared to rival Real Madrid. Despite their crucial win over Porto in the Champions League, Laporta believes his side should have had two penalties against Rayo Vallecano and is adamant that the media should be focusing on refereeing decisions rather than placing blame on coach Xavi Hernandez. The president’s remarks shed light on the ongoing challenges facing Barcelona and the high expectations placed on their performance.

Barcelona President Joan Laporta has once again expressed his frustration over refereeing decisions, claiming that his team should have been awarded two penalties in their match against Rayo Vallecano. Laporta highlighted what he believes to be differential treatment compared to Real Madrid. Despite the controversy, the Blaugrana secured a crucial win over Porto on Tuesday night, securing their spot in the Champions League knockout stages. This victory has lifted the pressure on manager Xavi Hernandez, who has been criticized for their recent poor form. Laporta emphasized the importance of the win and the return of injured players. He also criticized the media for not focusing on the refereeing decisions. Xavi, on the other hand, acknowledged that the penalties should have been given, but refused to blame the loss against Rayo on the non-awarded penalties. Barcelona will now look to carry the momentum from their Champions League win into their upcoming matches against Atletico and Girona.