\n
I<\/span>Despite the passage of time, if there’s one thing Barcelona fans still regret, it’s Lionel Messi’s departure from the club. What seemed impossible happened in 2021, and in 2025 it continues to cause sadness in the Blaugrana world. One of the people most disappointed with how things turned out was team president Joan Laporta, who explained in a recent interview that his relationship with Messi was not the best.<\/p>\nJoan Laporta was the president who signed Lionel Messi’s first contract when the Argentine was just 16 years old, but he was also one of the people responsible for Messi’s departure in 2021, and to this day fans have not forgiven him, and he himself insists he wants to put right the past.<\/p>\n
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\nLionel Messi’s facial reaction during visit to animal sanctuary attracts attention<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nLaporta talks about his current relationship with Messi<\/h2>\n In an interview with La2CAT, Laporta reflected on how Messi left Barcelona and also explained how their relationship is currently not so good.<\/p>\n
Laporta said: “This situation is sad. Leo gave a lot to Barcelona and Barcelona gave a lot to Leo. I hope they can reconcile. I have a good relationship with my family and a great relationship with him.”<\/p>\n
Laporta was open to dialogue about reconnecting with Messi. “It’s up to him. I’m open to fixing anything. What I’m talking about is honoring him, building a statue, giving him recognition, because in our 125-year history, the ‘Messi moment’ is one of the brightest, if not the brightest of all.”<\/p>\n
Laporta has no regrets about prioritizing Barcelona over Messi<\/h2>\n Despite Laporta lamenting how Messi left Barcelona and the current deterioration of relations with the club, the Blaugrana president insists he has no regrets about prioritizing the club over any name.<\/p>\n
Regarding Barcelona’s financial problems in 2021, Laporta explained: “I am a Barcelona fan and this organization is above all else. If I were a member, I would understand more than anyone what the president has done.”<\/p>\n
The main reasons for Messi’s departure from the club were the financial problems the team was facing and the failure to reach an agreement in negotiations between the player and the club. Since his departure, Messi has continued to say he loves the club and could potentially rejoin the team in a different role.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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