Joan Laporta is new president and chances of Lionel Messi continuing at Barcelona are increasing

He would have left more than six months ago, without the contractual twist interposed by former president Josep María Bartomeu. Since, Never like this Sunday March 7, 2021, the feeling has spread that there is a good chance that Lionel Messi will stay in Barcelona beyond June 30, when your contract expires. This new scenario arises from the fact that Joan laporta he largely won the election with 54.28% of the vote (30,184) and became the new president. Victor Font was imposed, who harvested 29.99 percent (16679), already Toni Freixa, with 8.58 (4769).

At the level of speculation, The Argentine’s continuity will be more achievable under the command of who was already president between 2003-2010, a period in which Messi made his Premier League debut and won 12 (including two in the Champions League) of the 34 securities which he conquered with the Barça jersey. Also at this point, he lifted the first two gold balls of the six he has in his display cases.

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Messi surprised everyone when at 11:41 am, at the hands of Thiago, his eldest son, he showed up at Camp Nou to leave his vote at the polls. It was the first time in 20 years that he had participated in an electoral event. In 2010 he hadn’t done it because he was at the World Cup in South Africa and in 2015 because he was on vacation. According to information from the Ser channel, the Rosario had communicated some time before with Laporta to inform him that he was going to vote.

The delicate news of Barcelona, ​​plunged into one of the economic crises –1200 million euros in debt- hardest institutional and in its history, has mobilized many active and retired footballers. Besides Messi, Jordi Alba, Sergi Busquets, Sergi Roberto, Riqui Puig, Puyol, Luis Enrique, Sergi Barjuán, Juan Carlos Unzué and Pichi Alonso left their votes. Although he expected it, Gérard Piqué did not appear, that in the future he aspires to participate as a leader in club politics.

“I was surprised by the high participation rate, despite the difficulty of traveling between the different cities. It was not easy, but we are happy with the way everything went, ”said Carles Tusquets, chairman of the management committee who took over provisionally after Bartomeu’s resignation.

Messi has not made any public statements since the end of December, during an interview with La Sexta, he gave a crude description of the club: “Barça are bad, very bad, and it will be difficult to get back to what they were”. He also said that until the end of the season he was not going to make a decision on his future. Confirmed Laporta, maybe the deadlines are shortened and there is something new before the middle of the year.

Messi, whoever occupies the presidential chair, has always demanded an ambitious and well-supported sporting project to fight for the titles, in particular the Champions League, which he last won in 2015 with the trident he formed with Luis Suárez and Neymar. Laporta made no campaign pledges regarding the hiring of reinforcements, but he was still confident in his ability to meet Messi’s demands, from a human and sporting perspective.

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The Rosario has always had the desire to play with Sergio Agüero, that he is replacing at Manchester City and in June his contract ends. It could be incorporated at no cost, which is very important for Barcelona’s deteriorating cash flow. Don Balon magazine echoed this probability. Since his arrival, and before the departure of Luis Suárez, Ronald Koeman has insisted on a center-forward (Memphis Depay, from Lyon), without the management responding to his request for lack of money. According to RAC1, Jordi Cruyff, Johan’s son, will take over as sporting director.

From the close relationship he forged with Messi during his first term, Laporta said a few days ago that the contract renewal solved it “with a barbecue”. His other major asset is the trust he has gained from Jorge Messi, father and representative. “The first thing to do with Messi is to give him love, to make him feel loved. With me, he will have a president to end his sports career on a high note. Messi and his entourage told me something that fills me with pride: “.

Sportingly, Laporta, who in 2015 lost the elections to Bartomeu, will make a very difficult start. You will travel with the delegation that Wednesday, he will have to defeat at the Parc des Princes a 1-4 against Paris Saint Germain for the knockout stages of the Champions League. In terms of football, the team has shown an evolution in recent weeks. He justified himself by qualifying for the Copa del Rey final with a 3-0 victory over Sevilla. With thirteen wins and three draws in the last 16 dates, he has closed the gap in the league with leaders Atlético de Madrid, who has three points and one game less (on Wednesday he catches up with Athletic Bilbao).

After several months of grief and disorientation, Barcelona breathe new optimism. Messi has always said it will cost him dear to leave the city he has lived in for 20 years. He was about to pack his bags for Manchester City, they also opened the doors for him in Paris, but it is likely that he is still a neighbor of Castelldefels.