Politis

Laporta: "My relationship with Messi is broken"

Published February 23, 2026, 17:15
Laporta: "My relationship with Messi is broken"

Joan Laporta, former president of Barcelona and potential candidate for the club's leadership, admitted that his relationship with Lionel Messi has deteriorated following the latter's departure. According to Laporta, Messi's departure was due to the then-management's refusal to approve the agreement with CVC Capital Partners, which he considered harmful to the future of Barcelona. Laporta emphasized that the club's financial viability was a priority over retaining a player, even one as important as Messi. Furthermore, he stated that the financial demands for renewing Messi's contract were excessive for the team's financial situation. Finally, he compared Messi's departure to other difficult moments in Barcelona's history, such as the departures of Koeman, Xavi, and Pique.