Laporta meets former Perez challenger at traditional dinner before El Clasico

Barcelona president Joan Laporta was among the leading figures at the traditional Fonteta dinner on Saturday evening, held on the eve of the eagerly anticipated El Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Laporta shared a table with Enrique Riquelme, the former candidate for the Real Madrid presidency who lost to Florentino Perez. Their meeting added a footballing dimension to an event traditionally dominated by business, political and institutional relationships.

The dinner also brought together several prominent figures from Spanish public and economic life. Those attending included Juanma Moreno Bonilla, president of the Andalusian government; Josep Oliu, chairman of Banco Sabadell; and Fernando Lopez Miras, president of the Region of Murcia.

Former Barcelona president Sandro Rosell was also present. During the gathering, Rosell approached Laporta to greet him.

The Fonteta dinner has established itself over the years as one of the most important social occasions for Catalonia’s influential circles. It also regularly attracts representatives connected to major centres of political and economic influence in Madrid.

Although the event is linked to fine dining, it provides an opportunity for networking and relationship-building among some of Spain’s most powerful figures. Its setting is another distinctive feature: rather than taking place in a hotel or conference centre, the dinner is held at the private residence of businessman Luis Conde.

That arrangement creates a more relaxed atmosphere for those attending, while allowing conversations between figures from different areas of Spanish public life to develop away from more formal venues.

This year, the presence of Laporta and Riquelme brought added significance to the gathering, with their meeting taking place less than 24 hours before Barcelona and Real Madrid were due to renew one of football’s biggest rivalries.

The fixture was set to provide another test of the two clubs’ strength against each other, with both preparing for one of the most widely anticipated matches of the season.