Coaching staff preferred others over Garay

Asked about the failed transfer of Racing Santander central defender and Real Madrid loan out Ezequiel Garay (21), Barcelona president Joan Laporta has denied to journalists that the transfer was cancelled because Barcelona failed to pay a first part of the transfer fee:

"We didn't sign this player because the coaches thought we shouldn't. It's a great player and we knew that because the staff was following him. But then we had to make a decision and in the end they preferred other players. We didn't sign any agreement so we didn't fail to pay anything."

Laporta was reacting to Cantabria regional president Miguel Revilla, who had said in an interview with Catalan radio station Onda Cero Catalunya that Barcelona didn't pay the first part of the fee:

"Laporta asked my advice about Garay and I told him that Garay is extraordinary, both as a player and as a person and that he should transfer the defender as soon as possible. And that's what he did. They closed a deal for 14 million euro°. But then he didn't paid the first sum and Real Madrid came with ten million euro° cash and signed him because Racing had some financial problems at that time."

Racing Santander president Francisco Pernía meanwhile has said that Barcelona and his club hadn't signed anything yet.

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Garay doesn't know why Barcelona transfer failed