March 08, (THEWILL) – Barcelona president, Joan Laporta, has called Lionel Messi’s departure as the worst event of his career, but has stated that he does not regret letting him go.
Messi was desperate to sign a new contract at Camp Nou and those in control were just as eager to do so, but financial constraints prevented that from happening, and Messi instead signed a free transfer to Paris Saint-Germain.
On the 365th day of his presidency at Barcelona, Laporta expressed his pride in the team’s performance without Messi.
“It’s the saddest decision of all”, Laporta said of Messi’s departure. “I never wanted to make it, but I’m not sorry either, because we had to put the club above everything.
“We had to put the institution above everything, which is what we did, even ahead of the best player in the world.
“The situation was what it was. We came up against reality. It seemed as though there was nothing afterwards, but the legacy of Barcelona continues and, with work and well thought-out decisions, we can return to the path of success. That’s what we are doing.
“We know that the history of Barcelona continues and we can return to the path of success.”
Laporta also used the opportunity to compliment former manager Ronald Koeman for bringing the team back on track, albeit he stated that he wished he had replaced him with Xavi sooner.
“I had doubts about Koeman after the first season, but out of respect for him, we tried to make it work,” the president continued. “There came a time when I saw that another painful decision had to be made.
“Would I sack Koeman before I did? Yes. I should have listened to the club.
“I will always remember Koeman for the goal at Wembley, for a coach who had the courage to put his faith in young players. If he is hurt, I hope that feeling goes away.”
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
