BARCELONA, Spain — Barcelona president Joan Laporta has revealed he is recovering from a heart problem after being admitted to hospital.
Laporta, 64, was due to fly to England this week as part of Barça’s preseason preparations, but his plans have changed after an arrhythmia was detected.
He underwent a procedure at a hospital in the Catalan city on Tuesday that he says successfully restored his heart’s normal rhythm.
“Everything went well,” Laporta said on social media. “My arrhythmia has been reversed. My heart is beating rhythmically again.
“I am deeply grateful to the outstanding doctors, nurses and healthcare staff at Hospital de Barcelona, led by Dr. Jordi Morillas. They did an excellent job.
“I am also proud of Barça’s medical services, led by Dr. Xavier Corbella, and of my chief of staff, Manana Giorgadze, who coordinated everything with great efficiency.
“I would also like to thank Dr. Valentí Fuster and his entire team at Mount Sinai for their valuable advice, which gave me peace of mind, as well as Dr. Brugada for recommending the procedure to follow in order to reverse the arrhythmia.”
Laporta was in the United States earlier this month, taking in several games as Spain won the World Cup, including the final in New Jersey last weekend.
He had been due to join up with the Barça delegation currently in England this week, with the players training at St. George’s Park ahead of Friday’s friendly against Birmingham City.
However, the advice now is for him not to travel and to continue his recovery.
Laporta is in his second spell as Barça president. His first stint came between 2003 and 2010 before he returned in 2021.
Earlier this year, he was re-elected for another term, extending his mandate until 2031.
