Barcelona’s Former President Admits Fears Of Lionel Messi Leaving

The current situation in Barcelona hasn’t been smooth with word of turmoil in the board, the coaching staff and star player Lionel Messi. The greatness of Barcelona for the past two decades has been synonymous with Messi’s greatness and former president Joan Laporta admits the fear of the legendary player leaving the club.

Per Goal.com, Laporta has been wary of the recent developments happening to Barcelona. With the reports indicating tension between Messi and current president Josep Maria Bartomeu, Laporta worries for the worst possible outcome.

"I want him to stay in 2021 but I am scared that a bad decision of this board could result in an irreversible decision," Laporta said.

For Laporta, he sees that the issues the team is experiencing now must be resolved as soon as possible.

"It's not BarcaGate, it's BartoGate, I am worried about how the status of the club is being put at risk," Laporta shared.

In addition to this, there have been several talks recently that Xavi is in line for a coaching stint in the near future. While Quique Setien still calls the shots on the field, the former Barcelona player is still slated to manage the team eventually. However, Laporta thinks Xavi should consider his decision first before setting foot back to the club.

"If I was Xavi, I would never be back with this board," Laporta quipped.

The way Barcelona has recently been handled serves as the motivation for Laporta to return as the organization’s head. With Messi’s future uncertain amongst other issues, Laporta believes he can work on improving the club if given the chance.

"Every day I have more desire to take part in the election. Some concrete conditions are needed for me to feel comfortable to run right now rather than resist for a few more years," Laporta added.

If Laporta manages to return, he sees possible changes with people he trusts that he can implement.

“I would very much like Guardiola to come back, but now he is at City and it is a decision that Pep should take. He is a benchmark for Barcelona and many Catalans would like him to train Barca again,” Laporta emphasized.

The rich influence of Messi and the success of Barcelona have served as a staple to all football fans. It will be interesting to see how developments turn out in the leadership of the historic organization.