Lionel Messi leaves Barca – Joan Laporta explains: That’s why the contract extension failed

At a press conference on Friday morning, Joan Laporta, President of FC Barcelona, ​​explained the reasons why Lionel Messi has not signed a new contract and will therefore leave the Catalans on a free transfer. Barca officially announced this on Thursday evening.

“There are objective reasons why we had to make this decision, it is about the economic situation of the club. We would have put the club in great danger,” said Laporta, arguing that the LaLiga regulations, which are shaped by financial fair play, would remain 34-year-old Argentinians ultimately made impossible. “That’s why we couldn’t finalize the deal we agreed with Leo Messi. Barca should have agreed to an operation that would affect the club for the next 50 years in terms of television rights. When I had to make the decision, I could The club is over 100 years old and is above everyone and everything, including the best player in the world, to whom we will forever be grateful. “

Choosing to split up with Messi was “the only way” to have leeway on salary issues. We couldn’t do it. Leo wanted to stay, we wanted him to stay. I want to thank everyone who went to the Negotiation has been involved in the past few months. “

Lionel Messi shocked over Barca split

Laporta stated that Messi was initially offered a two-year contract, the salary of which would be paid over five years. Since this is not allowed in Spain, however, they then “agreed on a five-year contract, to which Leo has agreed”. However, this was not granted either: “After a technical analysis by the LaLiga commission, we found that the decision would not be made in Barca’s interests. We actually wanted the post-Messi era to start in two years.”

Laporta therefore “made the decision on Wednesday that things cannot go on like this. Yesterday (Thursday, ed.) We had our last talks with Leo’s father. The negotiations were very intense, it was very complicated.” According to media reports, Messi and his father Jorge assumed that the conversation on Thursday would only be about when and in what way they would officially communicate Messi’s contract extension. The six-time world footballer recently returned from his vacation and wanted to start training at Barca again on Friday.

The news from Laporta that there could be no new contract after all shocked Messi, it is said. The attacker has not yet commented on the separation from the club where he has spent the past 21 years. Laporta reiterated: “He wanted to stay, so he is not happy. For him it is a situation that cannot be changed. He has to face reality. I wish him the best wherever he goes. Barca are his home.”

Lionel Messi to join PSG?

Where Messi will continue his career is open. Noisy The Athletic Talks with Paris Saint-Germain are planned soon, and Manchester City is the second serious option.

Messi actually wanted to leave Barcelona in summer 2020, but then decided to stay again. Now his working paper had expired on June 30th anyway. The Argentine international played a total of 778 competitive games for Blaugrana, scoring 672 goals. At the age of 13, he switched to Barca’s offspring in the summer of 2000.