FC Barcelona: "The leaders have placed the club in the hands of Qatar" (J. Laporta, ex-president)

"It is very serious that FC Barcelona has relations with Qatar and the contract between the two parties has never been explained. The links of the current leadership with Qatar predate the 2010 elections. Initially, they said it was a sort of UNICEF for the Persian Gulf, and that was why we had 'Qatar Foundation' on the chest (of the team's shirt). They (the foundation) were better than the saints and martyrs in the history of mankind. Then we moved on to Qatar Airways. They put the club in the hands of Qatar without explanation," said Joan Laporta, former president (2003-2010) of FC Barcelona (Liga BBVA) and current deputy of Catalonia, on 14/11/2014.

Qatar Airways, sponsor for FC Barcelona since July 2013, is the first company to put its brand on the shirt of FC Barcelona. Over the 2011-2013 period, the Barça shirt sponsor was the non-profit Qatar Foundation. "When I remember when I left Barcelona, and then see it today, I feel a huge disappointment because the current leadership has destroyed many things we built," said Joan Laporta.

Joan Laporta could stand in the forthcoming…