Barcelona President Visited Asia and Smoked a Hookah — What Was the Purpose?
Liam Carter
Dailysports's expert
Translated by the editors
Barcelona president Joan Laporta spent the international break traveling across Asia, raising questions about the purpose of his journey. The Barça chief was first spotted aboard a private jet heading to Mongolia, followed by a visit to Azerbaijan, accompanied by various club directors and his former cousin, Alejandro Echevarría.
Details: Laporta was initially seen in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia's capital, where he met with Culture Minister Nomin Chinbat. According to Relevo, the discussions centered on establishing a Barcelona Academy in Mongolia. Additionally, they engaged with Gobi, a cashmere clothing brand, to explore launching a Barça-branded clothing line.
The president then attended the COP29 meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan, where he met with Fartad Hajiev, the Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, and Azhemco owner Adnan Ahmadzada. Laporta has reportedly held previous meetings with Ahmadzada in Dubai and Saudi Arabia.
Reports also suggest Laporta visited a third, undisclosed country, but no further details were provided about this leg of the trip.
Background: Laporta’s travels come as Barcelona continues its efforts to secure new revenue streams. Despite assurances during the club's general assembly that there would be no issues registering the contracts of Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor in January, reports indicate financial challenges remain. Even with the recent sponsorship deal with Nike, Barça must address these obstacles to ensure financial stability.
