Joan Laporta Has Lost Control Of Barcelona - Presidential Candidate

The race is already hotting up to elect the successor to Barcelona president Joan Laporta, whose term comes to an end on June 30, 2010.

While some, including the likes of Angel Fernandez, have already ruled themselves out of the running, Catalan businessman Agusti Benedito is the second candidate after Sandro Rosell to declare that he intends to participate in the elections.

Benedito resigned as a member of the club's social committee earlier this year, claiming that Laporta had betrayed some of Barca's ideals, and has reiterated that stance in an interview with El Mundo Deportivo.

"[I feel] disappointed with Joan Laporta," he mused.

"When I was inside [the club], people told me a lot of things about Laporta but when I asked them if they had proof, they had none.

"The first evidence I had was when he admitted that his office had mediated in a bid by some Uzbekistanis to buy Mallorca.

"The main thing is ethics. There can be errors in any management, but ethics are essential.

"There are things that he wasn't able to do, and things that he didn't want to do. He was in a unique position to establish an irreversible change, but he left the path, lost control."

When Benedito was asked about the forthcoming elections, he indicated that he is concerned that the other candidates will not play by the rules.

"I think it will be dirty. I hope I'm wrong, but I've noticed people are tense," he concluded.

Anthony Wright, Goal.com