Barcelona president Joan Laporta was pressured to defend the presence of Luis Figo within the director’s field for his or her Champions League match, with emotions nonetheless remaining robust from followers over his controversial switch to Actual Madrid.
Figo joined Actual Madrid for a then world report price of £37m again in 2000, with the change resulting in supporters of the Catalan giants branding him a ‘traitor’.
The Portuguese star had been on the right track to win the Ballon d’Or as a Barcelona participant, however as a substitute obtained the honour whereas at their arch-rivals Actual Madrid.
Regardless of 25 years having handed since his transfer, anger round Figo’s perceived betrayal had been revived when it was confirmed he would attend Barcelona’s match in opposition to PSG on Wednesday.
Figo was obtained within the director’s field for the match in his capability as a UEFA ambassador.
It marked the primary time Figo been in Barcelona’s residence stadium for a match since 2009, when he performed in opposition to them for Inter Milan.
Luis Figo was seen within the director’s field for Barcelona’s Champions League match with PSG
Figo stays considered by Barcelona followers as a ‘traitor’ after leaving for Actual Madrid in 2000
Barcelona president Joan Laporta was joined UEFA chief Aleksander Ceferin and PSG counterpart Nasser Al-Khelaifi for the match, however was pressured to defend Figo’s presence
Barcelona president Laporta was requested forward of the match about Figo’s return and defended his presence on the match.
Laporta additionally known as on followers to recollect Figo’s contributions on the membership having gained two league titles, the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, and two Copa del Rey’s with Barcelona.
‘He is a member of UEFA and that is completely respectable,’ Laporta stated.
‘He was a Barca participant; we bear in mind the afternoons and nights of glory he gave us.
‘He decided, however life has moved on, and he is a member of UEFA, so he’ll be obtained with all due respect.’
Joan Gaspart, who had been Barcelona president on the time of Figo’s transfer to Actual Madrid, declared that he would ‘utterly ignore him’ within the director’s field.
Gaspart had been unable to stop Figo’s transfer to Barcelona’s arch rivals after a Actual Madrid and the membership’s president Florentino Perez had triggered the star’s launch clause in his contract.
‘I am not the one to ban anybody from coming into the stadium; he is a UEFA ambassador. I can guarantee you that I will not greet him. I will not make any effort, nor do I’ve any have to; the field is sufficiently big to guide separate lives,’ Gaspart instructed the podcast Què t’hello jugues!
Former Barcelona president Joan Gaspart, who beforehand labelled Figo the membership’s ‘solely enemy’ stated he would ‘utterly ignore’ the previous star upon his return
Barcelona followers had burned a picture of Figo within the stands on his first return to the membership
His second return in 2002 led the match being halted for 20 minutes as followers threw objects at Figo
Probably the most notorious object thrown at Figo was a pig’s head, which was seen on the pitch as he went to take a nook
‘I’ve met Figo every so often in Switzerland. I am not one to forgive something; as a Barca fan, I do not overlook and by no means will. He is not a pleasing individual.
‘UEFA is the one in cost. Barca is above this stuff; that is been occurring for a few years, however personally, I’ve no real interest in seeing him, greeting him, or having any dialog with him. I’ll utterly ignore him.’
Gaspart has beforehand declared that Figo is the ‘solely enemy Barcelona has’, whereas acknowledging Perez’s signing of the Portuguese nice was a ‘masterstroke’.
Figo’s return on Wednesday handed with out incident as he watched PSG beat Barcelona 2-1 within the Champions League, marking a change from the receptions he had obtained as a participant.
When Figo returned to the Nou Camp for the primary time in October 2000 they mercilessly taunted and jeered the then Portugal worldwide. Figo responded by holding his fingers to his ears – which solely served to accentuate the environment.
Infamously his second return to the Nou Camp noticed a pig’s head thrown on to the pitch and the match suspended for 20 minutes as followers threw beer cans, lighters and bottles from the stands.
Figo, nonetheless, would justify his determination to maneuver to the Bernabeu as he helped Actual clinch the title in 2001 and was named World Participant of the 12 months.
Figo’s newest return to Barcelona within the director’s field handed with out incident on Wednesday
A yr later he gained the Champions League with the membership and would go on to win one other La Liga title earlier than leaving for Inter Milan in 2005 on a free switch.
The switch has adopted Figo in retirement, with Barcelona requesting in 2015 that he didn’t symbolize the group in a legends match.
Earlier this yr, Figo was confronted by a Barcelona supporter as he attended the official Ladies’s Champions League remaining dinner, previous to the Spanish giants going through Arsenal within the showpiece.
Figo initially responded with a vulgar gesture to the fan, earlier than questioning them over whether or not they had an issue with him.
