Barca reveal £115m debt

Laporta insists there is no need to panic

Barcelona have announced that the club accounts are in a worse state than originally feared when Joan Laporta became president.

But Laporta insists the £115.7m debt is nothing for the club's supporters to worry about.

An audit of Barcelona's accounts was commissioned by Laporta - and the results are worse than his predecessors predicted.

Our aim is to balance the books next season Barca president Joan Laporta

"We will present a deficit for the season of some 164m euros (£115.7m)," Laporta told Spanish radio station Onda Cero on Thursday.

"But fortunately because of the importance of Barcelona this is only a temporary situation and our aim is to balance our books next season."

Laporta's predecessor, interim president Enrique Reyna, said in May that losses would not exceed £38.8m.

Barcelona-based newspaper La Vanguardia reported earlier this week that in addition to the increased loss, the overall debts of the club had risen to £155.3m.

Laporta, who was elected president in June, has already introduced a number of measures designed to improve the club's financial position.

He is increasing the cost of a season ticket between 20 and 40%.

And Laporta is also reported to be considering using a shirt sponsor, a move that would signal a break from the club's long-held tradition of carrying no advertising on their playing kit.

Since Laporta assumed the presidency Barcelona have signed five players, including Ronaldinho.

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