Barcelona President Joan Laporta has spoken out about the possibility of a tribute for former Barcelona star Lionel Messi. The Argentine forward left Barcelona in 2021 after spending 21 years at the club. Winning numerous titles including four Champions League trophies. Despite moving on to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), Messi is still held in high regard by Barcelona and their fans.
Yesterday, PSG were knocked out of the Champions League by Bayern Munich. Resulting in Messi’s quest for another European trophy with his new club will have to wait.
“We have seen each other,” Laporta confirmed in an interview. “I congratulated him on Argentina [winning the World Cup]. We are talking about the tribute to Leo, who has extraordinary affection for Barça. I do not want to speak out of respect for the player, who is playing for PSG. The Leo thing is not about money, we are talking about a tribute.”
Joan Laporta
Laporta also spoke about the decision to let Messi go, citing financial restrictions as the main reason.
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“I had to make that decision. The institution is above everyone…I have a sad feeling. I had to choose and I chose the institution. In Paris, we exchanged glances,” he added.
Despite Messi’s departure, Laporta remains hopeful for Barcelona’s future.
“We have a lot of faith in the team. We have to keep our heads up and keep fighting,” he said. “We will keep working to ensure that Barcelona remains one of the top clubs in the world.”
The possibility of a tribute for Lionel Messi at Barcelona is a testament to the impact he had during his time at the club. Even though he has moved on to PSG, the memories he created during his tenure at Barcelona remain fresh in the minds of many. As for Barcelona, the club is in a transitional period, and the decision to let go of their talismanic player was a tough one. However, with the likes of Dembele, Pedri, and others, the future looks bright for the Catalan giants.