GOAL

Barcelona presidential candidate Joan Laporta says the club made themselves look ridiculous in their failed bid for Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba.

The presidential candidate says the standing administration showed their incompetence in their failed attempt to seal a deal for the Juventus star

Laporta is currently hot on the campaign trail as he prepares to challenge standing president Josep Maria Bartomeu at the ballots on July 18.

In recent weeks Laporta has made Pogba the focus of his candidacy and says that the current management were made to look ridiculous when they went to Italy to try to secure an €80 million deal for the France international midfielder.

“[Sporting director Ariedo] Braida's meeting with Juventus and [director of sporting institutional relations Albert] Soler was a failure, it was ridiculous and made Barcelona look bad,” Laporta told Cadena Ser.

“Soler acts in ignorance of the world of football.”

Not for the first time, Laporta stressed “the key to the transfer of Pogba is his agent Mino Raiola,” before dismissing Barcelona’s reported interest in Atletico Madrid midfielder Arda Turan was simply a diversion tactic.

Laporta is hoping to seal his second spell as president of the club after leading them to two Champions Leagues and four Liga titles during his period with the club between 2003 and 2010.