Soccer-Laporta confirms he'll run for Barcelona presidency

BARCELONA, June 16 (Reuters) - Former Barcelona president Joan Laporta has confirmed he will run in next month's presidential election, when he will be one of favourites to take the top job at the Spanish and European champions. "As you all know, I am standing in the (July 18) Barca election," Laporta, speaking in Catalan, said in a video published on Tuesday. "I am doing it so I can achieve the aim of making Barca a club for everyone again," added the 52-year-old. "I have the experience." A lawyer and pro-Catalan independence politician who was president between 2003 and 2010, Laporta will provide stiff competition to fellow frontrunner Josep Maria Bartomeu. Laporta is close to former Barca player and coach Johan Cruyff and a firm supporter of the club's policy of bringing players through from the academy into the first team. Bartomeu stepped up from vice president in January 2014 after Sandro Rosell resigned amid allegations of tax fraud in the deal to sign Brazil forward Neymar. The next election was due to be held in 2016 but Bartomeu decided midway through this season to bring it forward by a year amid growing unrest among fans over the management of the club and following the dismissal of sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta. The former Barca and Spain goalkeeper paid the price for a FIFA ban on signings for two windows over a breach of rules on the transfer of foreign Under-18 players. Barcelona went on to have a prolific second half to the campaign and Bartomeu will hope the treble of Champions League, La Liga and King's Cup titles will help sway the voters. Laporta won the loyalty of many of Barca's members, who jointly own the club, when he appointed Pep Guardiola coach in 2008 and Barca went on to become the first Spanish club to win the treble in his first season in charge. Toni Freixa, a former club spokesman, Jordi Farre and Agusti Benedito have also declared their candidacies but have little chance of winning. (Writing by Iain Rogers, editing by Toby Davis)