Laporta confirms he will have a face to face with Tebas
The Barca chief took aim at the Liga president on Monday in his long speech
Joan Laporta appeared before the media at a press conference on Monday to comment on the 'Negreira case'. In his speech he lashed out at Javier Tebas, president of La Liga, whom he described as "irresponsible and unprofessional".
"The external firm has acted with transparency and independence. It is very important that justice is allowed to work. We intend to collaborate as much as possible to clarify these facts. Barça must be exonerated of any criminal responsibility. The accusations have to be proven," said Laporta.
"What cannot be is that we are condemned before being judged. We live in a state of law and one of its basic principles is the presumption of innocence. A presumption of innocence that, until now, Barça has not had".
"As president of Barça, I demand maximum responsibility from the institutions that govern Spanish, European and world football. Also to the media. We are playing with the good name and credibility of the club, the refereeing collective and football," he added.
"We are witnessing a Solomonic trial in which there are people who are trying to harm those of us who have not bowed to their requests and wills. This is intolerable. I would like to point out, in particular, the president of the Professional Football League, Javier Tebas," Laporta said forcefully.
"With his constant statements, he has fuelled the controversy and provided false documentation to the Prosecutor's Office. I ask him to curb his verbal incontinence because he is not doing the institution he represents any favours."
"He is validating information that is false: he has gone so far as to say that there was no report. The president of the Federation, for example, has not joined in this lynching. Neither has the CSD. I am grateful for their positions," he concluded.
There will be a 'face to face' meeting
Both leaders will meet at the next La Liga Assembly to be held on Wednesday. Laporta confirmed this at a press conference, while taking the opportunity to reproach him for his attitude to the case. "I would have liked the president of La Liga to have called us before making a judgement. We have been confronted with the attitude of a pyromaniac fireman. Neither he nor any other club president has called us," he confessed.
"I will go to the League Assembly on Wednesday to explain to them what this is all about, if they give me the opportunity. A word to the wise is enough. I am not surprised by the attitude of the president of La Liga given his obsession with Barça. I hope they will let me explain because, I insist, no crime has been committed," said Laporta.
