Will Barça hold on to top spot?Joan Laporta has called Barcelona’s defeat to Real Madrid in the La Liga Clásico a harsh blow, but the club president insisted their title ambitions remain intact and threw his weight behind coach Hansi Flick.Speaking to “Movistar” at the Ballon d’Or awards ceremony, Laporta said: “It was a harsh blow for the fans, but the coach already knows what happened. We weren’t able to impose our style of play, and we have to accept that. Real Madrid have very strong counterattacks. In any case, we are still top, and we are aware that the competition is a long race. Our ambitions haven’t changed.”On Flick, the Barcelona president was equally firm. “He is the perfect coach for Barcelona,” he said. “He knows our system, and he is a fan of Johan Cruyff. That is why we chose him, even though every coach has his own stamp. Flick prefers vertical play, and we enjoy this style a great deal. The results speak for themselves.”He added: “Our aim is to win La Liga, and to seek with all humility to be crowned champions of the Champions League, the competition that has eluded us. Hansi knows what Barcelona’s fans love, which is a style of play based on three pillars: possession, positioning and pressing. We also rely on the offside trap, and it is producing good results, even though it makes us suffer.”Next matchesBARLaLiga01 Nov 202604:00ALASANLaLiga01 Nov 202623:15RMALaporta also backed Lamine Yamal’s bid for the award before the result was announced. “We believe he deserves it. If you look at the names put forward, which are three, I think Lamine deserves to win thanks to his talent and the titles he has achieved. He is very excited.”
