Home/Sports/'A new era starts now without Messi' – Laporta explains Barcelona exit
'A new era starts now without Messi' – Laporta explains Barcelona exit
DUK Editor Team Send an email August 6, 2021
Laporta also blamed the "awful" financial mismanagement of his predecessors and LaLiga's financial rules for the exit.
Asked if Messi could still stay for Barca, Laporta said: "I do not want to create false hope, this negotiation has ended. If fair play continues to be rigid, the player needs some time to see what he is going to do and evaluate his situation, look at other options.
"I'm sad but we did everything to keep Leo and he was prepared to stay at Barcelona, it was agreed. A new era starts now without Lionel Messi.
"Leo wanted to stay, so he is not happy. We all wanted him to stay. He has to confront reality, it is a reality that can't be changed. I wish him the best, Barca is his home.
"We have to live in the real world, I like to dream but right now we have to talk about the reality."
Laporta, who was elected as president in March this year, said that he inherited a financial mess.
"I would like to say the inheritance we have received is awful," said Laporta. "The salary mess is 110 per cent of the total income of the club.
"That means we have no flexibility. The situation is worse that we were told and what we had calculated based on official data.
"You have to leave feelings away, you have to look at numbers with a cold head. We wanted LaLiga to be more flexible but this is no excuse, we knew the rules and what we have been left with from the previous board makes it all impossible."
Fans will hope that despite Laporta's stance, there remains room for another U-turn in this long running saga and many wonder whether their announcement is simply an extreme exhibition in posturing.
Lionel Messi – In Pictures
Lionel Messi of Argentina celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Group F match between Argentina and Bosnia-Herzegovina at Maracana on June 15, 2014 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
FIFA World player of the year winner Ronaldinho, the Gillette Best Young Player Award Leo Messi, and third place FIFA World player of the year Samuel Etoo pose with their trophies before La Liga match between FC Barcelona and Celta, at the Camp Nou stadium December 20, 2005
Barcelona's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi (C) vies with Real Madrid's Welsh forward Gareth Bale (L) and Real Madrid's Croatian midfielder Luka Modric during the Spanish league football match between Real Madrid CF and FC Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on March 2, 2019
Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona looks on as Catalan Pro-Independence flags are seen on the background during the La Liga match between Barcelona and SD Eibar at Camp Nou on September 19, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain
Messi for Argentina Under 20s in 2005 vs PERU
Lionel Messi from Argentina celebrates with the cup after winning the FIFA World Youth Championships 2005 Final between Argentina and Nigeria on July 2, 2005 in Utrecht, Netherlands
FC Barcelona's Argentinian Messi scores the second goal against Albacete during their Spanish League football match at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, 01 May 2005. FC Barcelona won 2-0
Argentine Lionel Messi (R) is fouled by Peruvian goalkeeper Leao Butron 09 October, 2005 at the Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, during their FIFA World Cup Germany 2006 South American qualifying round match. Argentina won 2-0
Argentina's footballer Lionel Messi (R) is marked by Brazil's Mineiro during their Copa America Venezuela-2007 final match at the Panchencho Romero Stadium July 15, 2007 in Maracaibo, Venezuela
Argentinian forward Lionel Messi leaves the pitch with his gold medal after attending the men's Olympic football tournament medal ceremony at the national stadium in Beijing during the 2008 Beijing Olympic games on August 23, 2008. Argentina won gold ahead of Nigeria and Brazil
Lionel Messi of Barcelona and Argentina sits on top of the world in 2009
Barcelona´s Argentinian forward Lionel Messi (C) and Barcelona'´s midfielder Andres Iniesta (R) celebrate with the Champions League Cup afte the trophy ceremony on May 27, 2009 at the Olympic Stadium in Rome. Barcelona defeated Manchester United 2-0 in the final of the UEFA football Champions League
Lionel Messi (2R) of Barcelona tests the defence of Manchester City (FLTR) Richard Dunne, Pablo Zabaleta, Gareth Barry and Stephen Ireland during the Joan Gamper Trophy match between Barcelona and Manchester City at the Camp Nou Stadium on August 19, 2009 in Barcelona, Spain. Manchester City won the match 1-0
Diego Maradona head coach of Argentina talks with Lionel Messi of Argentina as they celebrate victory after the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Group B match between Argentina and South Korea at Soccer City Stadium on June 17, 2010 in Johannesburg, South Africa
Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona poses with the trophy after victory in the UEFA Champions League final between FC Barcelona and Manchester United FC at Wembley Stadium on May 28, 2011 in London
Lionel Messi of Argentina receives the FIFA Ballon d'Or 2012 trophy on January 7, 2013 in Zurich, Switzerland.
David Beckham (R) of PSG shakes hands with Lionel Messi of Barcelona ahead of the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final match between Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona FCB at Parc des Princes on April 2, 2013 in Paris, France
Lionel Messi of Barcelona celebrates scoring his team's third goal as Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid looks dejected during the La Liga match between Real Madrid CF and FC Barcelona at the Bernabeu on March 23, 2014 in Madrid, Spain
Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona with his son Thiago walk out the pitch prior to the La Liga match between FC Barcelona and Real Sociedad de Futbol at Camp Nou on September 24, 2013 in Barcelona, Spain
Sergio Aguero (L) and Lionel Messi of Argentina react while walking off the field after defeating Iran 1-0 during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Group F match between Argentina and Iran at Estadio Mineirao on June 21, 2014 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Bastian Schweinsteiger of Germany hugs Lionel Messi of Argentina after Germany's 1-0 victory in extra time during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Final match between Germany and Argentina at Maracana on July 13, 2014 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona with the match ball after scoring three goals during the La Liga match between FC Barcelona and RCD Espanyol at Camp Nou on December 7, 2014 in Barcelona, Spain
Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona performs an overhead kick under a challenge by Nicolas Otamendi of Valencia CF during the La Liga match between FC Barcelona and Valencia CF at Camp Nou on April 18, 2015 in Barcelona, Spain
FIFA Ballon d'Or nominees Lionel Messi of Argentina and FC Barcelona (L) and Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal and Real Madrid smile during the FIFA Ballon d'Or Gala 2014 at the Kongresshaus on January 12, 2015 in Zurich, Switzerland.
Lionel Messi of Barcelona celebrates with the trophy after the UEFA Champions League Final between Juventus and FC Barcelona at Olympiastadion on June 6, 2015 in Berlin, Germany
Barcelona players including Javier Mascherano, Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez celebrate victory with the trophy after the UEFA Champions League Final between Juventus and FC Barcelona at Olympiastadion on June 6, 2015 in Berlin, Germany
Lionel Messi of Barcelona celebrates with his winners medal after victory in the UEFA Super Cup between Barcelona and Sevilla FC at Dinamo Arena on August 11, 2015 in Tbilisi, Georgia
Lionel Messi of Argentina and FC Barcelona and his partner Antonella Roccuzzo attend the FIFA Ballon d'Or Gala 2015 at the Kongresshaus on January 11, 2016 in Zurich, Switzerland
Lionel Messi of Argentina and FC Barcelona receives the Ballon d'or during the FIFA Ballon d'Or Gala 2015 at the Kongresshaus on January 11, 2016 in Zurich, Switzerland
Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona holds up the FIFA Ballon d'Or trophy prior to the La Liga match between FC Barcelona and Athletic Club de Bilbao at Camp Nou on January 17, 2016 in Barcelona, Spain
Lionel Messi #10 of Argentina interacts with a fan who ran onto the field prior to the start of the second half during a 2016 Copa America Centenario Semifinal match between Argentina and the United States at NRG Stadium on June 21, 2016 in Houston, Texas
Argentina's Lionel Messi (C) is marked by Chile's Arturo Vidal (L) eyed by Argentina's Ever Banega during the Copa America Centenario final in East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States, on June 26, 2016
Lionel Messi (L) and Andres Iniesta (R) of FC Barcelona lift up the Spanish La Liga 2015-2016 season trophy before the La Liga match between FC Barcelona and Real Betis Balompie at Camp Nou on August 20, 2016 in Barcelona, Spain
Neymar (R) of Brazil greets Lionel Messi of Argentina during a match between Brazil and Argentina as part of 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Qualifier at Mineirao stadium on November 10, 2016 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Gianluigi Buffon, Dani Alves, Leonardo Bonucci, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo; Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Andres Iniesta; Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar pose for a selfie as they are named The Fifa FifPro World XI during The Best FIFA Football Awards Show on October 23, 2017 in London
Barcelona's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi poses with his four Golden Shoe awards after receiving the 2017 European Golden Shoe honoring the year's leading goalscorer during a ceremony at the Antigua Fabrica Estrella Damm in Barcelona on November 24, 2017
Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona in action during the La Liga match between Real Betis Balompie and FC Barcelona at Estadio Benito Villamarin on March 17, 2019 in Seville, Spain
Lionel Messi after Barcelona were thrashed 8-2 by Bayern Munich.
POOL/AFP via Getty Images
LaLiga has have agreed to sell 10 per cent of its business to American private equity firm CVC in a 50-year deal, a deal which has been firmly rejected by Barcelona and Real Madrid.
The club statement, all three paragraphs of it, was laced with blame directed at LaLiga and their president, Javier Tebas.
Barcelona are in such financial trouble that they are still a long way short of the €200million of savings needed in order to register Messi or their new signings, including Sergio Aguero and Memphis Depay, this summer.
Laporta said that Barcelona is bigger than any "coach, president or player" but will hope that that sentiment doesn't wash in the slightest and that LaLiga realise Messi is bigger than the entire division itself, relaxes its rules and allows him to stay.
It is a faint hope: Tebas has been firm in his stance that no flexibility will be offered to Barcelona in order to keep LaLiga's greatest asset. Messi has already held talks with Paris Saint-Germain manager, Mauricio Pochettino, and the French club believe they can afford a deal.
Barcelona Joan Laporta Lionel Messi
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