Barcelona president Joan Laporta will not travel to England this week to join the club’s first team for its pre-season training camp or attend the friendly against Birmingham City after suffering a heart arrhythmia.
The condition has since been successfully treated, but Laporta has been instructed by doctors to rest and refrain from flying over the coming days. The Barcelona president confirmed the news himself in a message shared on social media, where he reassured supporters about his health and expressed his gratitude to the medical staff who cared for him.
"Everything went well! The arrhythmia has been reversed, and my heart is beating normally again," Laporta wrote.
He went on to thank the doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals at Hospital de Barcelona, led by Dr. Jordi Morillas, praising both their medical expertise and compassionate care.
Laporta also expressed his appreciation for Barcelona’s medical department, headed by Dr. Xavier Corbella, as well as his chief of staff, Manana Giorgadze, for coordinating his treatment. He thanked renowned cardiologist Dr. Valentí Fuster and his team at Mount Sinai for their guidance, along with Dr. Josep Brugada for recommending the procedure that successfully corrected the arrhythmia.
The Barcelona president concluded his statement by thanking his children, siblings, relatives and friends for their support, as well as the many fans who sent messages wishing him a speedy recovery.
Following confirmation of Laporta’s absence, Barcelona vice-president for sport Rafa Yuste will become the club’s highest-ranking official accompanying the team in England. He is expected to join the squad at St George’s Park on Wednesday after attending a scheduled board meeting.