Pau Cubarsi on Laporta's Election and Barcelona's Form: "Everyone is free to..."

Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsi indicated that he and his teammates did not feel exploited by re-elected president Joan Laporta during his campaign. Laporta was seen celebrating exuberantly with several players following his victory on Sunday.

While various Barcelona players refrained from explicitly endorsing Laporta in the elections, they often alluded to a strong personal connection with him. Cubarsi was observed celebrating Laporta’s election win alongside other teammates, and reports suggested that certain remarks made by his opponent, Victor Font, had not been well-received by the squad. When asked if Laporta had ‘leveraged’ his rapport with the players, Cubarsi responded:

“As a player and as a club member, everyone is entitled to express themselves as they choose. I’m keeping my vote private, but Laporta has been elected president, and we congratulate him. Our focus is now on tomorrow’s game.”

“He visited us and we offered our congratulations. He encouraged us to remain ourselves, highlighting our spectacular performance level, and to continue fostering our family spirit, which is what ultimately secures titles.”

Barcelona's Defensive Adjustments and Improvement

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick had previously admitted, after the first leg of their Champions League tie, that his team appeared fatigued under constant pressure from Newcastle United players.

Cubarsi offered an update on the team's current state: “We’ve managed to recharge and we’re in excellent form. Playing every three days leaves little time, but it’s essential to find moments for mental preparation. Tomorrow, we will give our absolute best, as always.”

Despite conceding two goals against Sevilla on Sunday, there's a prevailing sense that Barcelona’s defense has significantly improved in recent weeks. Since their consecutive defeats to Girona and Atletico Madrid, Barcelona has only conceded four goals across six matches.

“We’ve made a few adjustments in the defensive line, and now we’re performing at a very high level. Every available player is delivering spectacularly, and that benefits the team. If we trust the staff’s philosophy, positive results will follow.”

Key Defenders: Joao Cancelo and Gerard Martin's Impact

Some of these improvements stem from personnel changes. With Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde sidelined due to injury, Xavi Espart and Eric Garcia have stepped in at right-back, while Joao Cancelo has taken up the left-back position.

Cubarsi spoke highly of Cancelo: “We are very pleased with his second spell here. When he arrived, he greatly assisted me in integrating into the dressing room. It’s fantastic to have such a versatile player who can contribute significantly. He’s one of us, and he’s absolutely thrilled.”

Alongside Cubarsi, Gerard Martin has been the most consistently trusted player in defense recently.

“Gerard Martin is having an exceptional season; he’s playing more at centre-back and feels very comfortable there. It’s been a magnificent season. Gerard, Ronald, Eric, and Andreas are all capable of performing at their peak.”

Attitude Trumps Experience, Says Cubarsi Ahead of Newcastle Rematch

Cubarsi acknowledged that his team struggled to match Newcastle’s intensity in the first leg, but he believes that attitude is more crucial than experience. It was noted that Newcastle’s squad has a considerably higher average age than Barcelona’s.

“The intensity they displayed on their home pitch was remarkable. We were already aware of this from playing them in the league phase. We lacked a bit of rhythm then, but it will be different at home.”

“The most important factor isn’t experience; it’s how you approach the game and your mindset going into it. This is a knockout round, and even though we reached the semi-finals last year, it doesn’t guarantee us a win.”

Barcelona is set to host Newcastle at 18:45 CEST on Wednesday, following a 1-1 draw in the first leg. The Blaugrana are eager to extend their impressive streak of 11 consecutive home victories since returning to Camp Nou.