Barcelona currently faces a dilemma that, had different decisions been made in the past, wouldn't exist. The demolition of the Miniestadi, a venue that bothered Laporta, would've solved many problems for Barça.
The demolition of the Miniestadi was a decision personally made by Joan Laporta during his second term.
The story begins in 1982, when Josep Lluís Núñez inaugurated the Miniestadi for the Spain World Cup. With a capacity of 15,276 spectators, the stadium became the home of the reserve team, women's soccer, and youth matches. It was a comfortable, accessible field that met all the requirements demanded today by LaLiga.
Laporta's determination to erase Núñez's legacy
On February 24, 2020, Laporta ordered the Miniestadi to be demolished. Officially, the intention was to clear the space to build the new Palau blaugrana there.
However, five years later, there's no trace of that project. The lot remains empty, with construction that never began and a club still without the promised arena.
In reality, the decision also had a political background. Laporta never hid his historic confrontation with Núñez and, to a large extent, wanted to erase his architectural marks.
First, with the third tier of Camp Nou, which has also been demolished with the current renovations. Then with the Miniestadi, a symbol of the former president's legacy.
Barcelona fans still remember its inauguration in September 1982. Diego Armando Maradona, the star of the moment, and a child, Guillermo Amor, the star of the future, embodied the symbolism of the event.
A lost solution for Barça
If the Miniestadi had still been standing, today Barça wouldn't be trapped between Montjuïc, Johan Cruyff, and the wait for the new Camp Nou. With its more than 15,000 seats, the venue would meet LaLiga regulations and would be a natural solution to host First Division matches.
The club would've avoided controversies with rivals, who threaten appeals when Barça plays at Johan Cruyff due to its limited capacity. It also would've saved millions in expenses on rentals, renovations, and logistical moves. The Miniestadi was an in-house and available resource, but it was eliminated prematurely.
Pride and strategic mistakes
Another unexplored path was Cornellà. Asking Espanyol for its stadium would've been a practical and simple option, but Laporta never considered that possibility out of pride. He was aware of how unpopular that measure would be among Barcelona fans, although the truth is that it would've avoided much of the current problems.
The result is clear: no Miniestadi, no Palau blaugrana, and no solid short-term alternative. Laporta chose to demolish before building and now misses a stadium that could've saved him at the most critical moment of Camp Nou renovations.