Barça chief Laporta: Madrid have model of 'power'

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has said Clásico rivals Real Madrid have a model of "power" and "signing players" that contrasts with how the Catalan club is run.

Laporta overlooked that Barça have also spent big money on transfers in the past, saying the Blaugrana are "more than a club" because they focus on developing players.

"We're different clubs," Laporta told the club's in-house podcast. "Madrid have a sense of power, while we have a sense of freedom. Everyone looks out for their own interests.

"It's a good rivalry which both clubs feed off, from a position of respect, but we have different models.

"Our [model] is based on developing youngsters through La Masia and creating talent; Madrid are more inclined to signing players. They don't have many players in their squad who have come through the academy.

"We're really proud of who we are. We are more than a club."

Barça have broken the €100 million ($117m) barrier three times in the last decade to sign Philippe Coutinho, Ousmane Dembélé and Antoine Griezmann.

They also spent big to bring the likes of Neymar, Luis Suárez and Frenkie de Jong to the club in recent years.

Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso did not want to be drawn into a debate on the issue, but replied to Laporta by suggesting the clubs are not that different.

"I imagine the context in which he said what he said and I don't want to get involved," Alonso said in a news conference before Madrid's Club World Cup fixture against Salzburg.

"But we do have a feeling of freedom and democracy ... and I imagine they also have some power. It goes both ways."

Meanwhile, Laporta also tried to play down the suggestion that institutional relations with Athletic Club have broken down over the club's pursuit of Nico Williams.

Sporting director Deco confirmed Williams has a "desire" to join this summer, prompting reports Athletic will complain to LaLiga and the Spanish Football Federation [RFEF] if Barça activate his €58m release clause without having the necessary financial fair play to register him.

"I don't understand Athletic's reaction," Laporta said. "With all due respect, everyone should worry about their own business.

"I don't understand why they would go to LaLiga to speak about Barça, which is nothing to do with them, but each to their own ...

"We've taken all the necessary steps to be able to sign normally. We will be able to sign and register the two players we want to sign."

The first player Laporta was referring to was goalkeeper Joan García, who signed from Espanyol for €25m last week, while the second target is Spain winger Williams.

On Thursday, Athletic fired back at Barcelona via a news release, saying that they are "mind[ing] our own business: By meeting with LaLiga."

The club confirmed that they met on Wednesday with LaLiga president Javier Tebas to complain about Deco's own admission that Barcelona were "working to be within the 1:1 rule."

"The meeting was held in Madrid in response to a request from Athletic Club made within the framework of compliance with financial fair play. Among the topics discussed was FC Barcelona's ability to sign players, given Athletic Club's legitimate interest in accessing the relevant information, after FC Barcelona sporting director Anderson Luis de Souza 'Deco' publicly acknowledged that they will try to sign a player from our first team. This player has a contract with Athletic Club until June 30, 2027. Minding our own business means ensuring that the rules of the competition are followed," Athletic said in a statement.

"We appreciate LaLiga's complete willingness and clarity in its qualified response, and we affirm that Athletic Club will defend its interests to the fullest extent in compliance with the financial fair play regulations approved by each and every one of the professional clubs that make up LaLiga."

Last week, Tebas said that Barcelona remain subjected to LaLiga rules which only allow them to spend a fraction of what they save or raise in the transfer market on new signings.