Joan Laporta explains ‘tense’ relationship with Barcelona icon Lionel Messi | OneFootball

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has provided an insight into what he describes as a ‘tense’ relationship between he and Lionel Messi.

Veteran frontman Messi of course brought a close to his iconic stint on the books of Barcelona back in the summer of 2021.

This came after the Blaugrana, owing to ongoing financial issues, retracted a contract renewal offer to the Argentine at the last moment.

Messi, in turn, departed on a free transfer for French heavyweights Paris Saint-Germain.

Joan Laporta was the individual widely blamed for the situation, giving rise to long-term tension between the Barca chief, and the club’s greatest-ever player.

Speaking during an interview with Tot Costa this week, amid his ongoing push for reelection at the Camp Nou, Laporta was therefore drawn on his current relationship with Messi.

And the Spanish patron was surprisingly open in his response, explaining:

“My relationship with Messi isn’t what it used to be. There was an incident at the Ballon d’Or ceremony when I went to greet him and he felt we shouldn’t greet each other. Since then, there has been some rapprochement and, hopefully, that continues in the future. The relationship is tense, but he is a Barça legend.”

Conor Laird – GSFN