Europa Press, E-Noticies Red alert at La Masia! What Joan Laporta has done will have consequences
Barça's La Masia faces a historic cutback decided by Joan Laporta: risky decision for the Catalan club
La Masia is, without a doubt, the best talent factory in the world. Footballers like Xavi, Piqué, Messi, Cesc, Cubarsí, or Lamine have emerged from Barça's youth academy, figures who've defined an era. Added to this is a unique methodology that combines positional play, technique, and educational values that represent Catalan identity.
It's no coincidence that a large part of Barça's current squad has come through this training structure. The model works because there's a solid and sustained long-term investment. However, Joan Laporta has just made a decision that disrupts this balance and has caused concern in the culé environment.
Joan Laporta's cut and its immediate effects
In the 2024-2025 fiscal year, La Masia's management posted losses of €7.7 million. These numbers have forced Joan Laporta to act quickly and review spending on youth soccer. For an organization going through a delicate economic situation, every item is scrutinized closely.
Since Joan Laporta took over as president, investment in La Masia has been reduced by €13 million. The figures show that the trend is downward and that the adjustment directly affects the training structure. This budget decrease was already evident in previous years, when spending comfortably exceeded €30 million.
The lowest budget in a decade
For the 2025-2026 fiscal year, Barça has set a budget of €23 million for La Masia. This is the lowest figure in the past ten years and marks a turning point for the training project. A reduction of this magnitude affects planning, recruitment, and daily development.
La Masia needs a broad infrastructure to keep its excellence. The cuts may affect key areas such as residences, academic training, or personalized attention. Joan Laporta is taking the risk because he believes that balancing the books is now an absolute priority.
An uncertain future for Barça's heart
Barça knows that its identity and sporting success have been built from La Masia. Weakening it may have deep consequences on the first team's performance in the medium term. The board understands this risk, but Laporta believes there was no viable alternative.
The real impact of these adjustments will be seen in the coming years. If the reduction limits emerging talent, Barça could pay a very high price for this decision. La Masia remains the heart of the club, and its future is now in the hands of an extremely fragile economic balance.
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