The Shadow of Suspicion Returns to Hover Over FC Barcelona in Europe. Joan Laporta Has Been Informed That FIFA Would Prefer Barça Not to Be Crowned European Champion. Any Other, Inter, PSG, or Arsenal, Would Be Better Regarded.
The Reason Is Clear: A Culé Title Would Be a Very Hard Blow for the Next Club World Cup, Which Will Be Held at the End of the Season. A Club World Cup Without the European Champion Would Be a Devalued Tournament.
Two Very Suspicious Referees
Barça, Despite Its Glorious History and Its Five Champions, Has Not Shone in Europe in Recent Years. It Has Not Accumulated Enough Points to Secure a Spot in the New Club World Cup Format. For FIFA, Having a European Champion Absent in Its Major Tournament Would Be a Disaster of Image and Logistics.
Laporta and the blaugrana Board Are Fully Aware of This Situation, and the Referee Appointment for the Decisive Inter-Barça Match Has Triggered All the Alarms. The Chosen Referee and, Above All, the VAR Referee – of Ill-Fated Memory for Barça – Have Generated Concern in Can Barça.
Szymon Marciniak Placed Real Madrid in the Champions League Quarterfinals by Eliminating Atlético Due to Julián Álvarez's Controversial Penalty. He Was Already Controversial for a Real Madrid Qualification to the Final Against Bayern in 2024 That Was Considered a Fraud. Then He Was Caught with a Real Madrid Toiletry Bag Among His Belongings.
The Choice of Pol van Boekel for the VAR Adds More Fuel to the Fire. Van Boekel Helped with His Erroneous Decisions in Barça's Elimination Against Inter in the 2022-23 Season.
Barça Will Have Everything Against Them in Milan
The Feeling Is That From International Offices, They Want to Avoid at All Costs the Blue and Garnet Club Lifting the Big-Eared Trophy.
UEFA and FIFA Seem Aligned in This Silent Struggle That Confronts Sporting and Economic Interests. Although Confidence Is Breathed in Barça and They Bet on Leaving Everything on the Field, No One in the Club Is Unaware of the External Movements That Could Influence the Outcome.
Laporta Has Conveyed to the Squad the Importance of Maintaining Focus and Not Falling into Provocations, but Distrust Towards the Institutions Remains Latent. Recent History Has Shown That Barça Has Always Had to Fight Against More Than Just Sporting Rivals. This Year Does Not Seem to Be the Exception.