A picture is worth a thousand words. Last Wednesday, Nasser Al-Khelaïfi was spotted in Rome giving a hearty hug to Joan Laporta, the president of FC Barcelona . This caused a stir, as relations between the two men have not always been very good in the past, particularly due to the transfer window and the Superleague project. But the president of Paris Saint-Germain and that of Barça have started to get closer for a little over a year. In April 2024, they reconciled during the double confrontation between the two clubs in the Champions League. The official dinner between the leaders allowed for smoothing over the rough edges.
Joan Laporta had even mentioned a possible return to the ECA (European Club Association), which has since become the EFC (European Club Association). A little over a year later, the smiles were still there at the beginning of October before the Champions League clash between the Culés and the Parisians (PSG 2-1 victory). After the match, the FCB boss did not hesitate to praise the French club. "They're the best team I've seen in a while. Really the whole team ," he said after the Blaugranas' defeat. A few days later, Laporta and NAK met in the Italian capital where the EFC assembly was taking place, of which the Parisian leader is the president.
Al-Khelaïfi and Laporta have made up
They had lunch together with UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin to discuss a possible return of Barça. Laporta acknowledged this. "As FC Barcelona, we are in favor of the pacification of European football. What we want is an agreement and a return to UEFA." For his part, Al-Khelaïfi addressed strong words to the Barça boss. "Today, I welcome a special guest. Sometimes friends can disagree, that's normal, but they always unite for the common good. He has revitalized his club, both on the pitch, with a young and incredible team, and off it, with a magnificent new stadium. To FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta, I ask you to join me in wishing him a safe return to the family."
He added: “We are all here because football is more than a job: it is our shared passion, our passion. And even if there are differences between us – big clubs, small clubs, different cultures, different players – these differences should never be synonymous with conflict. There is so much conflict in the world today that we are all tired of it. Our duty is to build bridges, to bring people together. The power of football is greater than anything, and its unifying power has never been more necessary than today.” This rapprochement was not to everyone’s taste. Very quickly, some voices were raised on the other side of the Pyrenees.
A reconciliation that goes badly
In the OnzeTV3 program on the Catalan media Esport3 , consultant Lluis Carasco said: "This embrace does not come from a big club, it comes from a club that accepts the submission to power that Al-Khelaïfi represents, but it also represents unity within the world of football." Real Madrid is also angry. By approaching UEFA and EFC, Laporta has also taken a step back on the Superleague. A project that was now only supported by the Merengues and the Catalans, who decided to "let the project die" as Cadena SER explained . But they did not do so publicly because they would have to pay very large penalties to A22 Sports Management, the company that is supposed to help set up the SL
This Thursday, Cadena SER explained that Real Madrid, which is more alone than ever, experienced Barça's about-face as a kind of betrayal. The Madrid fans, who are not close to NAK and UEFA, did not appreciate it but did not make it known publicly. Florentino Pérez will not comment on the matter, according to several Spanish media outlets. However, the Merengues have already begun to take action behind the scenes. The Spanish radio station explains that Real Madrid, for example, filed a complaint to prevent Barça from playing the match against Villarreal in Miami. On the women's side, the capital club also refused to play the 2025 Spanish Super Cup in Florida. FCB Women were in favor of it, however. Real Madrid's decision sparked an outcry in Catalonia, but also among other women's clubs and within the Spanish federation.
Real Madrid counterattacks behind the scenes
Everyone saw it as an opportunity to promote women's football but also to make money, as each club would have received 150,000 euros. The Madrid team does not intend to give anything away to Barça, which has turned its back on Barcelona. On the show El Larguero , journalist Manu Carreño discussed these emerging tensions. "Madrid filed a complaint about that match against Barça. And I don't know why, but I have the impression that from now on, we're going to experience a before and after in the relationship between Madrid and Barça. I have the feeling that something has changed since the embrace between Laporta and Al-Khelaïfi. Until now, there have been several points on which, let's say, Real Madrid has not particularly sought to point the finger at FC Barcelona... And I think that from now on, relations between the two are going to be much more difficult."
An opinion shared by Sique Rodríguez, also on Cadena SER : "I agree. And I'll tell you more, Barça is already aware of it." On Radio Marca, journalist Roberto Gómez revealed that the Barça president broke with his Madrid counterpart for a very specific reason. "Laporta is angry with Florentino (Pérez), with whom he had a very unclear relationship until recently due to the Negreira affair. He is now looking to secure his future, which involves Ceferin and UEFA." On this point, the Madrid president does not intend to change his mind. "Real Madrid maintains its relationship with UEFA. For Florentino Pérez, the new European championship remains a strategic priority, a project with which he intends to transform elite football ," writes Marca . But the Merengues are alone against all, abandoned by Barça, their ultimate ally. All this comes just ten days before a Clasico that promises to be fiery on the pitch and behind the scenes.
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