My Relationship with Messi is Strained, and the Accusations Against Me are False

Joan Laporta, the former president of FC Barcelona, confirmed that his relationship with the Argentine star Lionel Messi remains strained since his departure from the club in the summer of 2021, revealing an incident that occurred between them during the 2023 Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris.

Laporta said: “The relationship with Messi is not as it was. There was an incident at the Ballon d’Or ceremony where I went to greet him, but he considered that we should not greet each other.”

He continued, “Since then, there have been some attempts at reconciliation, and we hope that can be achieved in the future. The relationship is strained, but he remains a legend of Barcelona.”

Laporta added regarding Messi’s appearance at the Spotify Camp Nou stadium: “I knew he was in Barcelona because the Argentine national team was playing here, but I didn’t know anything else.”

He continued, “Obviously, if Messi wants to enter the stadium, he should be allowed to do so whenever possible. It’s his home, and that’s what happened.”

Laporta pointed to a potential tribute to the Argentine star, saying, “Leo deserves a statue at Camp Nou just like Cruyff.”

He confirmed: “He also deserves a tribute, and we see that the right time for that would be when the stadium is fully completed and can accommodate more than 100,000 spectators.”

In another context, Joan Laporta responded to a complaint filed by a member of FC Barcelona before the Spanish National Court, with alleged charges related to money laundering and undue commissions.

Laporta said: “These slanders will be responded to appropriately. This is part of a continuous smear strategy that has been going on for a while, in an attempt to harm me and my candidacy.”

He added: “They have been trying this for a while, aiming to harm and tarnish this electoral process and Barcelona.”

He continued: “Those behind all this do it with the intention of slander and defamation and to cause harm.”

Laporta confirmed: “All this is completely false. This has happened to us before. It is a judicial and media strategy to harm my interests and what I represent electorally.”

He continued: “We cannot make some contracts public. Transparency has limits related to the club’s strategy, and there are also confidential clauses.”

He concluded his statements regarding the issue by saying: “We do not yet know who filed the complaint or its cost. Everything was done with the intention of harming and slandering,” categorically denying any transfers to Dubai or Cyprus.