Laporta, on Messi's departure: "Barcelona is above the best player in the world, I am not going to mortgage him for anyone"

The president of Barcelona, ​​Joan Laporta, explained this Friday at the Camp Nou the reasons for the abrupt farewell of Lionel Messi from the Barça entity that shocked the world of football this Thursday.

Laporta has assured that the contract for the renewal of the Argentine star could not be signed for two fundamental reasons: the bad economic situation of the club that he claims to have inherited and the rules of

financial system imposed by LaLiga. In his opinion, having renewed Messi would have been "a risk" for the entity, which he was willing to assume if there had been an economic margin. “The reason we have decided to get to this point is the club's financial situation, because making an investment of the volume that Messi represents entailed risks. We do not want to put the institution at risk any more. Barça is above the best player in the world. I'm not going to mortgage it for anyone, ”Laporta said. This has not announced the fate of the player or if there will be reinforcement signings. "He already has some options," he said, expressly referring to the fact that he did not have a specific offer from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).

Laporta has insisted on thanking Messi, currently on vacation in Ibiza, for all the successes, and showing that the forward was always willing to sign. “The player has lent himself to make things easy (...) Leo wanted to stay, but it couldn't be. He is not happy, ”he said. Although he has also predicted that Barça will overcome the trauma of the departure of the best player in the world: "We have 122 years of history and we will do everything possible so that post-Messi is also successful."

The president of the club has rejected the agreement signed between LaLiga and an investment fund, because he assures that he will mortgage the club for 50 years. "I am not willing to mortgage Barça's rights for half a century," he assured, after explaining that said agreement does not suppose any solution. In any case, he has blamed the non-renewal on the terrible situation inherited from the previous administrators of the club. “Unfortunately we have received a disastrous inheritance, which has made the sports salary bill 110% of the total income of the club and we have no margin. The losses are much higher, and those expected are also much higher. We have no salary margin. Without Messi's contract we already have exceeded the salary bill ”, he added.

"We have done everything possible to renew it, and we have reached an agreement, but we have not been able to sign it due to the dire economic situation of the club, which does not allow us to have a salary margin," Laporta has insisted time and time again. The president explained that in the six months that he has been in office, he has not been able to improve the financial burden of the club, which the recently known audit has revealed worse than expected. "Before all that, I had to make a decision ... and I have made it", he has sentenced. “They have left us an inheritance that exceeds the allowed salary limit. It's that simple and hurtful. And to fulfill the

giving the television rights for 50 years we are not going to do it, "he explained in reference to the contract between LaLiga and CVC.

"Leo's contract was arranged in a barbecue," Laporta had assured when he appeared in the elections with the renewal of Rosario as a hitch flag. This Thursday, when Messi had returned from his vacation to sign his new bond until 2026, Barcelona announced, through a statement, that it could not be "formalized due to economic and structural obstacles."

Negotiations between Laporta and Jorge Messi, the player's father and representative, began in April.

In July, they agreed on years of contract and salary (on the 10th, they promised to reduce their salary by 50%).

And, last week, lawyers for both parties finalized the agreements.

But, Barcelona backed down.

The Barça club informed the Argentine that, in the face of LaLiga restrictions, it was not possible to register him.

Messi, according to his relatives, resigned.

And its future is uncertain.

Also that of Barcelona who will have to face the departure of the best player in his history.

More information

• Messi's career at Barcelona, ​​in pictures

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