Joan Laporta affirms Lionel Messi’s importance for Barcelona future.
The elections for the new president of football club Barcelona is just around the corner and two people are neck and neck in the race. Joan Laporta and Victor Font are the two candidates who are realistically leading in the race and now they must battle each other for the seat. Laporta who has the lead at the moment gave another interview with Goal, reinstating the reasons as to why he will be the right man for the job.
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Joan Laporta, former president of Barcelona, has a good advantage over his rivals due to his prior experience in the job. The 58-year-old has talked about his strong relationship with Lionel Messi before and he must use that to his advantage if he wants to win. One of the main things that the Barcelona fans want from the new president is to persuade their captain into staying and Laporta believes that he is the man for that job.
The 33-year-old forward is still undecided on whether to leave or stay beyond the season. However, given the controversial decision to force him to stay might make him leave. The legend was ready to leave the Catalan side in August but was threatened with a court lawsuit, which made him change his mind. He later revealed that he loved the club and would never take his club to court.
The experience however could have left a sour taste in his mouth and thus the new president must try his absolute best to make Messi stay. Losing the Argentine on a free transfer would be a disaster for the club. When asked by Goal, why he was the man who could make the captain continue at Barcelona, he replied,
"“Because I tell the truth, I am the one with the most experience and determination, as well as the most credibility in his eyes. It fills me with pride that he tells me that everything I told him was fulfilled”“He wants to win the Champions League again with Barca and we have to make him see that this will be possible.”Source Goal"
He wants Messi to stay till the club’s 125th anniversary by which time, Project Espani Barca should be completed. Laporta wants the club legend to celebrate the new era of Barcelona before he leaves the club. That would be a true success story rather than leaving the club at the end of the current season.
He went on to praise the forward and said that he was probably the best player in history and thus it is such a big requirement for them to keep hold of him. However, Laporta is also not living in denial and understands that the decision is Messi’s to make and even if he leaves, Barcelona must go on and stay as one of the biggest clubs in the world.
"“If it doesn’t happen, we will have to move on and sooner or later we will have to accept it. He still has a long journey in elite football but everyone’s sporting career ends, while Barca continues.”"
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