The president of “Barca” defends Messi’s departure

Joan Laporta, president of the Spanish Football Club Barcelona, ​​claimed that his decision to abandon Argentine star Lionel Messi five years ago had been proven correct by the results of his second term.

Laporta, who was recently elected for a fourth term as president of Barcelona, ran his election campaign in 2021 on the basis of ensuring Messi’s continuation. But he informed the legend of the Tango Dancers team, in August of the same year, that he did not have a contract with him.

Laporta justified his decision in many ways, and recently, Xavi Hernandez, former Barcelona coach and Messi's teammate, claimed that he deliberately sabotaged his comeback after two years.

In an interview with El Pais newspaper, Laporta explained that he felt vindicated, saying: “I had to make a decision, and I think I made the right decision. The results speak for themselves.”

The Barcelona president added: "We were able to improve the club's financial situation, built a competitive team, and it was time for a generational change. Leo was approaching the end of his career, and we needed to build a new team. Did I want to build a new team with Leo's help? Yes. We tried, but it was not possible."

Messi expressed his desire to return to Camp Nou again at some point. But it seems unlikely that he will do so as long as Laporta is at the helm of the Catalan club.

At the end of his speech, Laporta confirmed that "the future relationship between the two parties will depend on what Leo wants and what Barcelona wants. At some point, their interests will converge again. Messi is a symbol of his generation: Kubala, Cruyff, and Messi. He deserves a statue and a tribute match. Barcelona is his home."