Laporta rips into Real Madrid: 'Every time they speak, they attack Barcelona' as rivals head to court

Relations between Barcelona and Real Madrid have hit a new low, with Blaugrana president Joan Laporta accusing the Spanish champions of repeatedly attacking his club in public and confirming that legal action is on the table ahead of a court date between the two rivals.

Laporta: 'Every time they speak, they attack Barça'

Speaking to Mundo Deportivo, Laporta made clear that Barcelona had no choice but to respond to comments made by Real Madrid president Florentino Perez earlier this year, comments that prompted the Catalans to threaten legal action.

“What we cannot accept is the distortion of the truth, and that every time they speak publicly, they attack Barça,” Laporta said. “Our legal department reacts to these situations. We do so with everyone who has condemned us before we’ve even been tried and has said things that weren’t true, and we continue in the same vein.”

The Barcelona president added that he still hopes for a resolution to the dispute, but admitted that diplomatic channels between the two clubs have effectively collapsed.

“What I hope is that they rectify this and that it gets resolved. As you know, relations with Real Madrid have broken down,” he said.

Negreira case at the heart of the breakdown

Laporta pointed to Real Madrid's decision to appear in the Negreira case as a key reason for the collapse in relations between the two institutions, accusing the Madrid club of using the case to push its own agenda.

“They appeared in the Negreira case, which we understand was only to prolong the case and justify their television channel’s actions and a predetermined narrative. And that’s where the conflict lies, and the existing relationship is nonexistent,” Laporta explained.

Court date set for November 25

The two clubs are now due to meet in a court in Madrid on November 25th for a conciliation hearing, with Barcelona willing to file a formal complaint against Perez if he does not retract his comments.

With legal departments on both sides now actively involved and the presidents trading public barbs, one of football's fiercest rivalries has spilled well beyond the pitch — and the next chapter will be written in a courtroom rather than a stadium.