Comparing the XI Laporta inherited at Barcelona to the one he left

Joan Laporta is currently serving a challenging second stint as Barcelona president. His first was filled with legendary success, and given Barcelona’s current financial woes it would be a major achievement if he can replicate it this time around.

The charismatic Barcelona-born lawyer last served as president for seven full seasons between 2003 and 2010, with the club winning four league titles and two Champions Leagues in that time.

We’ve looked at the first starting XI during his initial presidency, a 1-0 away win at Athletic Bilbao in 2003, and compared it to the team that celebrated winning the 2009-10 La Liga title with a 99-point haul after thrashing Real Valladolid 4-0.

Such was the goalkeeper’s longevity at his boyhood club, Valdes’ near 20 years from the youth set-up to the senior team saw six different presidents in charge of the club.

He also played under six different managers since his debut in August 2002, eventually leaving in the summer of 2014, as the Luis Enrique era began with two new faces competing for a spot between the sticks with Marc-Andre ter Stegen eventually winning out over Claudio Bravo.

Part of Louis can Gaal’s seminal Ajax side, Reiziger reunited with his Dutch compatriot at the Camp Nou in 1997.

He won back-to-back league titles in his first two years at the club, but a further five trophyless years would follow, as Barcelona kicked off the noughties with a fallow period.

Former Ajax team-mate Frank Rijkaard – who he started alongside in 1995 Champions League final, a famous 1-0 victory over Milan – used the right-back regularly during his first season in charge before he was allowed to leave for Steve McClaren’s Middlesbrough in the summer of 2004.

Juliano Belletti, Damia and Gianluca