“Leo loves Barcelona”: Joan Laporta Opens Up On Lionel Messi’s Future After Being Named New Barcelona Manager

Laporta was named as the club’s president for the second time

The ever stretching bruhaha engulfing the post of Barcelona’s president has finally come to an end. After the sensational departure of Bartomeu and his subsequent arrest, Barcelona were on the lookout for a new name to take over charge of the club.

For the La Liga side, the appointment of the new bigwig was a crucial decision owing to the shambles the club found itself in. Financially bled dried and in danger of losing Lionel Messi, Barcelona’s new president was going to need to take some behemoth decisions to get his side’s house in order.

Laporta Wins Presidency Campaign

And the club has finally decided to nail down on the services of Joan Laporta with him returning to the post for the second time. Laporta was voted champion of the presidential vote with a colossal margin with him receiving 58.3% of votes, seeing off Victor Font and Toni Freixa in the process.

For Laporta who returns to the helm after 12 years with him previously taken over the mantle for the first time in 2003, the first massive task is to assure that Messi remains at Barcelona. It’s an issue which became a flashpoint of the election campaign with Laporta persistently addressing how he was going to be the man to keep Messi at the club.

Laporta Addresses Messi’s Deal

Speaking about the player ensuing his triumph, Laporta gave an indication towards what his approach would be regarding Messi’s contract extension at the club.

Speaking after his presidential victory, Laporta said: “Today marks 20 years since a boy named Leo Messi debuted with Barcelona’s Infantil B team,” “Seeing the best player in the world come to vote with his son is an example of what we’ve said.

“Leo loves Barcelona. That’s the reflection of it. The best player in the world loves Barcelona. Hopefully that will help him to stay at Barcelona. That’s what we want.”

Messi whose contract curtails at the club in the summer of 2021 has been constantly linked to a move away from the La Liga side with both Manchester City and PSG touted to move for the player.

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