Leo Messi will not attend the 125th anniversary gala of FC Barcelona, which is being held this Friday, November 29, at the Liceu in Barcelona. The club invited him by letter 15 days ago. To him and other club personalities. But the Argentine will not attend. For agenda reasons – despite having just competed with Inter Miami in the MLS, he has some commercial commitments – but also because his relationship with president Joan Laporta has been non-existent since the president made the decision not to renew him. It was August 5, 2021. Through tears, Messi headed to Paris. It was difficult for him to adapt. Leaving a city unexpectedly and changing an entire life was not something that entered into his plans or those of his family.
Leo Messi received his eighth Ballon d’Or in Paris last year
The last image of President Laporta with Messi was precisely at his farewell. Later they met in Paris at two Ballon d’Or galas. At the last one Messi, who had tattooed the Barcelona shield on his leg at that time, praised the club of his life while collecting his eighth Ballon d’Or. But with Laporta neither They didn’t even cross paths. “I was hoping that at the last minute there would be a script change and it would say: ‘Free game.’ “I would have liked it and the League would have accepted it,” the president said in an interview with RAC 1. Messi responded. “Nobody asked me to play for Barça for free. I cut my salary by half and we were in a position to help the club. Laporta’s words hurt me, it’s like letting the ball go and not assuming the consequences or taking charge of things. This generates doubts that I do not deserve,” the Argentine told the newspaper Sport.
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Since Messi’s departure from the club, Laporta has tried to rebuild bridges with the Argentine, including his frustrated signing in the summer of 2023, when his contract with PSG was ending. At that time it was former coach Xavi Hernández who mediated the negotiations after receiving a call from Messi telling him that he would like to return to say goodbye to the fans. At the same time, Messi spoke with his father, Jorge Messi, to ask him to start contacts with Barcelona. Jorge Messi and president Joan Laporta saw each other. But the plan did not end up coming to fruition. Barcelona was a victim of the famous fair play financial and Messi could not wait until the last day for LaLiga to give its approval to Barcelona’s economic viability plan. And he went to Miami. Club with which I had been talking for months, aware that I needed a plan B in case things went wrong.
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And now? “Personally, no one has called him to go to the gala,” says those around him. The same one who acknowledges that he has no relationship with Laporta and that since living in Miami the Argentine has changed his phone number. “That day also has unavoidable commitments,” they add. But the club has been in contact with Jorge Messi to look into fitting Leo’s future participations.
The club has been in contact with Jorge Messi to look into fitting Leo’s future participations
“The best footballer of all time has to be present in some way,” they say from the club. The Argentine is in the United States, playing with Inter Miami. The 125th anniversary commissioner, David Carabén, went there to interview him. Although in the promotion of the TV3 program where the 125th anniversary anthem will be chosen, the Argentine missed having an image of him appear, he gave the interview in a nostalgic and conciliatory tone, with an accent on Barça over people. . It is perceived in the two extracts issued in advance mode. “My children are Catalan. I’ve been living there all my life. I feel like I’m from Barcelona. Being able to return to Barcelona tomorrow is always on our mind,” explains Messi. From his words it is clear that he does not want the Barcelona fans to feel that he does not think about them or that he does not care about the evolution of the club of his life.
In the promotion of the TV3 program where the anthem of the 125th anniversary will be chosen, the Argentine missed having an image of him appear
The Argentine, in fact, is very aware of the achievements of the team coached by Hansi Flick. He already did it with Xavi Hernández. And with Koeman. “I see Barça as spectacular. And it doesn’t surprise me because it’s not new. It’s very nice that such young boys respond to trust in this way. They know the club better than anyone and are used to playing this way from a very young age. When they are accompanied, it is logical that what happened in other times happens,” says the Barcelona youth player.
Leo Messi, during the interview he gave to commissioner David Carabén
From the Camp Nou they have not hidden that their presence at the gala would have been magnificent news. Not only because he is the greatest footballer of all time; also because it would be a way to publicly reconcile with the president. With his father acting as intermediary, the Argentine star has participated in more initiatives related to the anniversary. There will be a video at the Liceu with a message. But there will be no photo with Laporta.
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