Joan Laporta rallies Barça after VAR storm: “We have to fight against everything and everyone”

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has issued a defiant rallying cry to players, coach Hansi Flick and the club’s global fanbase after a bruising Copa del Rey quarter-final first-leg defeat to Atlético Madrid that pivoted on a fiercely contested VAR intervention.

Speaking the morning after the 1-0 loss at the Metropolitano, Laporta offered unequivocal backing to the squad and technical staff, insisting the tie remains alive ahead of the March 3 return at Spotify Camp Nou.

“All my support to Hansi Flick, to the players, to Deco and his team,” Laporta said. “With the strength of all the culers, I am convinced that we have a historic opportunity to pull off a great comeback.”

The president’s message centred on a 78th-minute incident in which centre-back Pau Cubarsí had a goal ruled out following an elongated VAR review. Barcelona maintain the decision was erroneous and emblematic of wider injustices they have faced this season.

“Unfortunately, yesterday we suffered a whole string of setbacks, from a pitch in poor condition to a wrongly disallowed goal that didn’t allow us to kick off a comeback that is possible in the return leg if we all together rally behind and cheer on the team,” Laporta continued.

He drew a parallel with an earlier controversy involving Lamine Yamal at Anoeta, suggesting a pattern of marginal calls against the club: “From the wrongly disallowed goal to Pau Cubarsí, it’s raining on wet because it reminds us of what they disallowed to Lamine Yamal, also incorrectly at Anoeta. Nothing is innocent.”

The lengthy delay required to reach the offside verdict was labelled “unacceptable” by club sources, while captain’s protests on the pitch underlined the depth of frustration within the visitors’ camp.

Laporta closed his address with an emotional plea for unity: “That’s why we have to fight against everything and everyone. Now more than ever, we need to stand by our footballers. I ask the members and supporters and the entire fanbase to make them feel the affection we have for them and how proud they make us feel for how they defend our colors. Long live Barça and long live Catalonia!”

With six weeks until the decisive second leg, Barcelona must overturn the single-goal deficit to keep their domestic cup hopes alive and avoid a second consecutive early exit at this stage of the competition.

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