Barcelona beat Albacete 2-1 in the Copa del Rey quarter-final to advance to the last four. After the match, Barcelona President Joan Laporta gave an interview.
On the match
Laporta: “I think we controlled the game well, but Albacete performed excellently in the Copa del Rey and were worthy of their display. They caused us a lot of trouble. We are the deserved winners. There was a disallowed goal and chances created by Gerard Martín, but this is typical of the Copa del Rey. The atmosphere away from home was great. We wish them all the best in the league. This victory is well-deserved, and now we focus on the semi-finals, with a match next week.”
On the two goals
Laporta: “Lamine Yamal is a genius; he broke the deadlock with a fantastic goal. I'm especially happy for Ronald Araújo. Those Barcelona fans... he was actually quite tired by the end of that goal. We are delighted with the captain's return. It was an important goal. We played a fantastic game, with excellent football.”
On Camp Nou
Laporta: “Full of pride. Camp Nou will become the best stadium in Europe, the largest in capacity, with nearly 105,000 seats. Comfortable, safe, and commercially attractive. We want it to be a venue for major finals. We hope to host matches at the completed Camp Nou in 2029, which would be wonderful. It would also be great if the 2030 World Cup final could be held here. If you look at how we're returning to our home now, this will be the best stadium in the world.”
On the board of directors
Laporta: "We have decided to hold a board meeting on the 9th, at which some people will resign and stand for re-election. Those who remain will serve until June 15th. The elections begin, which is part of the club's normal process. We hope many people will participate, and that voting day will be like a celebration."
