Barca boss reveals chilly Messi reunion after messy split
The long shadow of Lionel Messi’s Barcelona exit still lingers at Camp Nou.
In an interview with Catalunya Radio, according to L’Équipe’s coverage of the broadcast, FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta acknowledged that his personal relationship with the Argentine star has yet to fully recover years after the forward left the club.
Laporta said the bond between the institution and its most decorated player is no longer what it once was. He pointed to an uncomfortable exchange at the Ballon d’Or ceremony as a sign of lingering tension.
“We met at the Ballon d’Or and I went to greet him, but he felt we should not greet each other,” Laporta explained on Catalunya Radio, describing the brief encounter. He added that there has since been some limited improvement in communication, though the relationship remains strained. Despite that, he stressed that Messi “remains a legend of FC Barcelona.”
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Financial fault lines behind the farewell
Messi’s departure in 2021 ended more than two decades in Catalonia and stunned supporters around the world. While the exit was widely viewed as emotional, Laporta reiterated that the club’s financial position left little room for maneuver.
According to L’Équipe, Laporta defended the board’s refusal to sign the CVC investment agreement, which he argued would have harmed the club’s long term interests in exchange for short term financial flexibility. Without that deal, Barcelona could not register a new contract for Messi under La Liga’s salary regulations.
“Barça is bigger than any player, director or president,” Laporta said, adding that the figures required to renew Messi’s contract were beyond what the club could responsibly commit to at the time.
The financial crisis that gripped Barcelona in 2021 forced deep salary cuts, asset sales and structural reforms. Messi ultimately joined Paris Saint Germain before moving to Inter Miami in Major League Soccer in 2023.
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A legacy that still defines Barcelona
Messi’s imprint on FC Barcelona remains unmatched. He scored 672 goals in 778 appearances for the first team and won 35 trophies, including ten La Liga titles and four UEFA Champions League crowns.
Since his departure, Barcelona have not lifted the Champions League trophy again, with their last European triumph dating back to 2015 during the height of the Messi era. The contrast has only amplified debate among supporters about how the separation was handled.
While time has softened some of the initial shock, Laporta’s comments suggest that reconciliation, at least on a personal level, is still a work in progress. Even so, the president made clear that Messi’s status in club history is untouchable, regardless of the strain that followed his exit.
Sources: L’Équip
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