Barcelona president Joan Laporta has been taken aback by the decision of players such as Samuel Eto’o and Ronaldinho to miss a reception with Nelson Mandela on the club’s tour of South Africa.
”It could appear to be a bit surprising,” Laporta was quoted as saying when asked about the players’ absence by the Spanish media on Thursday. ”More members of the party could have gone but those that did go represented the club very well.”
Only defenders Lilian Thuram, Oleguer, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Juliano Belletti and midfielder Andres Iniesta went to visit the 88-year-old former president.
Laporta, who earlier this week admitted that the club had suffered this season because of disciplinary problems within the squad, said the meeting with Mandela had been a voluntary event.
”There were doubts if the event with Mr Mandela would take place because he is an old man who does not like large receptions,” he said. ”So when the event was finally confirmed we decided that only those players that wanted to should go.”
Favourites to win the league for a third year in a row, Barcelona frittered away their lead in the title race which was eventually won by arch-rivals Real Madrid. – Reuters