Messi Delivers Ice-Cold Rejection to Barcelona Boss as Shocking Return Plot Exposed
Joan Laporta, Barcelona's former president who is currently campaigning for re-election, has revealed details about his strained relationship with Lionel Messi, whose potential comeback to Catalonia was blocked following his departure from the club in 2021.
Laporta had just assumed the presidential role when he was compelled to inform Messi that the club couldn't extend his contract while adhering to La Liga's financial fair play rules. The Argentine superstar clearly struggled with this news and has yet to reconcile with the executive.
"My relationship with Messi isn't what it once was," Laporta shared with Cataluyna Ràdio this week while campaigning for re-election. "There was also a situation at the Ballon d'Or awards where I approached to greet him and he indicated we shouldn't acknowledge each other.
"Since then, there have been various efforts to rebuild our connection, and we remain hopeful this will occur in the future. The relationship has been harmed, but he remains a Barcelona legend."
Laporta's presidential competitors have exploited this rift to strengthen their own campaigns. However, Messi has not publicly supported any candidate and isn't anticipated to do so before March's election.
In an effort to extend a peace offering to the club legend, Laporta has reinforced his commitment to honoring Messi properly. "Leo merits a statue at Camp Nou similar to [Johan] Cruyff and [László] Kubala," Laporta emphasized. "He deserves recognition, and we believe the appropriate time will be when the stadium renovation is complete and accommodates over 100,000 fans."
Messi's Failed Return to Barcelona
Messi's Failed Return to Barcelona
The revisionist narrative has conveniently overlooked the summer of 2020 from Messi's story. One year before Laporta assumed office and managed the No. 10's departure, Messi publicly expressed his intention to leave Barcelona, filing an official legal notice—the notorious "burofax"—to communicate his decision to the club.
He had one year remaining on his deal at that point, and the Catalan club, still struggling with the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, couldn't afford to lose their greatest player without compensation. Twelve months later, the situation had reversed.
Laporta has since disclosed that Barcelona attempted to find ways to renew Messi's contract during summer 2021. "During renewal discussions, I faced a quite demanding team, and while his father showed more flexibility, his advisors seemed less cooperative," the former president wrote in his new autobiography, humbly titled, This Is How We Saved Barça, which has been featured in MARCA.
"We developed an unconventional approach: a long-term deal with an initial period as a Barça player followed by a loan to an MLS club, which appeared to work around La Liga's regulations," Laporta remarkably revealed. "However, La Liga rejected this, insisting we accept an agreement to sell television rights percentages for 50 years through a fund named CVC."
No other creative solutions emerged, and Messi emotionally departed for Paris Saint-Germain. Following two predominantly disappointing seasons in the French capital, the eight-time Ballon d'Or recipient became available again in summer 2023.
Laporta has stated that he again contacted Messi's father Jorge to explore bringing back the legendary playmaker. "Jorge Messi visited my home, I prepared the agreement, sent him the proposal, and received no response," the former president disclosed.
"One week passed, then two... a month later, he finally returned to my home and informed me they had chosen Inter Miami, where he would face less scrutiny."
At that time, Messi explained his choice was influenced by considering the impact his return would have on Barcelona's existing players. "I understood that Barcelona would need to transfer players or reduce salaries, and honestly, I didn't want to cause that situation," he admitted.
"I genuinely wanted to come back, I was thrilled about the possibility of returning, but after experiencing my previous departure, I didn't want to face the same circumstances again. I refused to put my future in another person's control." Particularly, Laporta's control.