Barcelona president Joan Laporta has insisted he has no regrets over Lionel Messi‘s departure last summer as he reflected on his first year back in charge at Camp Nou.
Laporta returned for a second spell as president last March and in August told Messi the club could not afford to renew his contract, prompting the Argentine forward to sign for Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer.
“It’s the saddest decision I have had to make,” Laporta told Barca TV. “I never wanted to have to make it, but at the same time I don’t regret it because the club always comes first.
“We had to put the institution above everything else — even the best player in the world. The situation was what it was; that’s the reality.
“It seemed like there would be a void after [Messi left] but Barca goes on and, with hard work and well thought out decisions, we can bring success back to the club.”
At the time, Barca turned down the chance to renew Messi by refusing to sign up for LaLiga’s €2 billion investment deal with CVC. Laporta said it would have “mortgaged off the club’s future,” with CVC taking a stake in the club’s revenue from television rights for the next 50 years.
However, despite suing LaLiga, along with Real Madrid and Athletic Club for what they branded an “illegal” deal, Laporta confirmed the club have re-opened talks with CVC.
“We have to reduce the negative equity, so we have to do some sort of deal, be that with CVC or with someone akin to CVC but with better conditions,” Laporta said.
“We have already succeeded in making the [incoming money] equity and not debt, but there are a couple more things to clarify. The CVC deal would help with the fair [spending limit in LaLiga] and that makes it more attractive.”
In that sense, Laporta said he hopes to have all summer signings finalised before June 30, with ESPN previously revealing Barca are in talks to sign Andreas Christensen, Cesar Azplicueta, Franck Kessie and Noussair Mazraoui on free transfers.
That would potentially leave money for Erling Haaland, who is also wanted by Real Madrid and Manchester City.
“I can’t speak about individual players because it drives the price up and does us no favours,” Laporta said when asked about Haaland. “We plan to strengthen the first team in every position and we are working on the financial side of the deals.
“All great players want to come to Barca. I don’t need to tell you anything about this player [Haaland]. Everyone knows him.”
Another decision taken by Laporta since returning to the presidency was the dismissal of Ronald Koeman, who was replaced as coach by Xavi Hernandez in November.
Koeman hit out at Laporta last week, questioning his motives for letting Messi leave and criticising the president for not giving him more time, but the president would not be drawn into a war of words.
“I had doubts at the end of last season, which I transmitted to him, but we wanted to give him a chance,” Laporta said. “But I saw that we weren’t heading where we wanted and I had to make another painful decision.
“My conscience is clear because I have always shown people respect while putting the club’s interests first. I should have listened to my intuition.
“Xavi is responding in style to the opportunity given to him by the club. I am sure he will bring us happiness for years to come.
“He has changed the team’s mentality. We can see that there is a future and in the present he can give us joy in the Europa League and why not in LaLiga? It is difficult but we are fighting.”
