‘These Are the Tradeoffs’—Barcelona President Revisits 2021 Lionel Messi Decision

The pair are said to have a tense relationship after Messi’s departure from Camp Nou.

Joan Laporta (left) and Lionel Messi (right) do not see eye to eye. | Javier Borrego/Europa Press/Jordan Bank/Getty Images

As he prepares for his fourth term as Barcelona’s president, Joan Laporta opened up Saturday about not re-signing Lionel Messi back in 2021, a decision that instigated the now-tense relationship between the two and sent the Argentine superstar to Paris Saint-Germain after 17 seasons with Barça.

“Regarding what I had to do at that moment—obviously, it wasn't what I would have liked—but it simply couldn't be, for economic reasons In that sense,” Laporta told El País in Spanish, citing the financial burden Messi’s resigning would have created for the club. “I had to make a decision, didn't I? These are the trade-offs—the conflicting factors that arise with every decision made—specifically regarding these situations involving Leo.”

Messi was left legally unable to renew his contract, despite the confidences of Laporta, who is said to have repeatedly assured him of an extension. The false hope stirred resentment for Messi, who then spent two seasons at PSG before hopping the pond for David Beckham’s Inter Miami in MLS.

Laporta denied the tense nature of his relationship with Messi, a subject that resurfaced only days ago when Laporta named Dutch player Johan Cruyff the greatest player in history, which a number of fans perceived as a slight towards Messi.

“I would have been absolutely delighted to keep Leo,” Laporta added. “I’ve always gotten along well with him—both when he was on the team and I was president, and even afterward, once I was no longer president. I would have been thrilled.

“... Not everything has to end badly. I actually believe that everything ends well—as a general rule, things turn out fine.”

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Will Messi Be Immortalized by FC Barcelona?

Laporta’s relationship with Lionel Messi is under scrutiny. | Joan Valls/Urbanandsport/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Laporta has every intention of reconnecting with Messi and honoring the legend’s legacy at Barcelona, which, for Messi, includes holding every main record in the club’s history. He is the club’s all-time leading scorer with 672 official goals, a number he hit after becoming the youngest player in club history to reach both the 100 and 200 goal marks, at 22 and 24 years old, respectively.

The club plans to erect a statue at the newly-renovated Camp Nou for Messi at an undetermined point in the future.

“Time leads you to look back on the good moments, and it leads you to reconnect with the person,” Laporta said. “He belongs to that select group of generational icons—players who deserve to have a statue erected in their honor. It is Kubala; it is Cruyff; it is Leo Messi. And—well—I understand that this is, in part, a tribute match. And then, what happens? It happened with [László] Kubala; it happened with Cruyff; and I believe it will happen with Messi.

“Barça is his home. In other words, the relationship between Barça and Messi—both in the immediate present and in the future—will unfold exactly as Leo wishes and as Barça wishes, because a moment will surely arrive when their interests converge once again.”

Messi recently received a tribute at Inter Miami’s brand-new stadium, Nu Stadium: the Leo Messi Stand, marking the first time, in the Herons’ estimation, an athlete who regularly plays at his home stadium will have a stand named in his honor.

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