UPDATE - Joan Laporta wins Barcelona presidential election rasing hopes Lionel Messi could remain at the club

 

Joan Laporta has won the Barcelona presidential election

after securing 54.3 percent of the votes in the election.

In the elections which ended Sunday night, March 7, a total of  55,611 members voted, with Laporta beating rivals Victor Font ( who won 30 per cent) and Toni Freixa (9 per cent).

 

 

Laporta, whose first spell ended in 2010 when Barcelona were the best team on the  planet with a squad boasting Iniesta, Xavi, Messi and coached by Pep Guardiola, will now resume for second term at the helm of the club.

That Barcelona squad is still regarded as one of the greatest sides of all time.

 

Before the election, Laporta had promised those who voted for him  that their best chance of retaining Lionel Messi was to vote for him

As Messi's deal expires in the summer, Laporta has promised to start negotiations with the star player.

When he was asked after the electoral results were announced if he would be in touch with Messi’s entourage tomorrow, he said: “Why tomorrow? I can speak tonight, the night is long.”

“These are the most important elections in the history of FC Barcelona,” Laporta declared. “They have been organised in a model fashion.”

Font, Laporta's opponent in the election told TV3: “I think it has been a constructive campaign. It is good for the institution that we celebrate a democratic day like today and that we congratulate the winner.

“Obviously, the results are not we wanted, but I want to thank thousands of Catalans who have supported us and given us their trust.

“I believe that the context in which the club finds itself has led to a rebound effect. We were fighting against a well-known former president. Against that it has been very complicated

“I will continue working to ensure that the Barca of the future is as we believe it should be. We have to reflect and digest the result, but the aims of helping to transform the club continues.”