Lionel Messi Only Ensured To Stay At Barcelona Under My Presidency, Joan Laporta Claims

Lionel Messi is simply ensured to stick with Barcelona if the presidential elections are received by Joan Laporta, says the favorite for Sunday’s vote. (More Football News)

Laporta is bidding to return to the highest job at Camp Nou following a profitable tenure between 2003 and 2010, which started with the signing of Ronaldinho and concluded amid Pep Guardiola’s superb period in cost.

The emergence of Messi as world soccer’s pre-eminent celebrity additionally occurred throughout that interval and Laporta feels his established relationship may help to patch issues up between the membership and their document goalscorer.

Messi sought to depart Barca after the top of final season and is but to announce his intentions for when his contract expires in June, with Manchester Metropolis and Paris Saint-Germain every linked to the 33-year-old.

Laporta was talking at a debate alongside fellow candidates Victor Font and Toni Freixa on Tuesday.

Font believes his pledge to herald Xavi as Barca coach can be persuasive for Messi, who he has earmarked for “a life contract”, however Laporta primarily turned his consideration in the direction of Freixa, who labored beneath the presidencies of Sandro Rosell and Josep Maria Bartomeu when cracks within the relationship with the six-time Ballon d’Or winner began to look.

“We will be unable to compete in cash with different affords that [Messi] has,” Laporta mentioned.

“What he needs is to win once more. I’ve a terrific relationship with Leo and he’ll worth the proposal I make. 

“I’m the one one who can guarantee his continuity. If I do not win, I am positive Leo will not proceed at Barca. 

“He was not very pleased with Freixa’s time, once they let him see that he was expendable.

“My relationship with the Messi household has at all times been glorious.”

Bartomeu’s tenure, which resulted in resignation final October after the Messi disaster was partially averted, was forged in an unsavoury gentle as soon as extra on Monday.

The previous president was amongst 4 males arrested in relation to a raid on Barcelona’s membership workplaces by Catalan police, who’re investigating doable financial crimes beneath Bartomeu’s administration – reportedly in relation to the “Barcagate” scandal the place a 3rd celebration was allegedly paid to smear membership greats together with Messi and Guardiola.

The 58-year-old was provisionally launched on Tuesday after spending an evening in jail, showing earlier than a decide and exercising his proper to not testify to costs of unfair administration and corruption in enterprise.

Freixa expressed “disappointment” and “shock” that such issues ought to come to a head in election week, though Font went on the assault.

“[Bartomeu’s arrest shows] the necessity and urgency to show the web page and construct a brand new membership mannequin to forestall these items from taking place,” he mentioned.

“We’re speaking in regards to the chance {that a} former president has used cash from the entity to assault gamers and other people round Barcelona, together with myself.”

Laporta, arguably granted such a luxurious by his robust place within the polls, opted to stay above the fray on the matter.

“We can’t prejudge or benefit from this case for our personal profit,” he mentioned.

“It’s important to let the method evolve. If duties need to be clarified, we are going to do it.”