Barcelona president Joan Laporta opens up on his ‘strained’ relationship with Lionel Messi after 2021 exit

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has spoken about his ‘strained’ relationship with Lionel Messi after his emotional departure from the Spotify Camp Nou in 2021.

Tension between both parties is making headlines once again after Laporta revealed an awkward moment at the 2023 Ballon d’Or ceremony.

Messi was the star of the show that night as he picked up a record-extending eighth Ballon d’Or award after leading Argentina to FIFA World Cup glory for the first time in nearly four decades.

According to Laporta, when he approached Messi to greet him at the ceremony, he made it clear that it was not the right time to exchange pleasantries.

That was a clear sign of how strained their relationship had become since Messi’s emotional departure from Barcelona in 2021.

“The relationship with Messi isn’t what it used to be,” he said (via TyC Sports).

“There was also an incident at the Ballon d’Or ceremony where I went to greet him, and he felt we shouldn’t greet each other. 

“Since then, there has been some rapprochement, and hopefully, this will continue in the future. The relationship is strained, but he’s a Barcelona legend.”

That summer marked the end of an era. Barcelona’s crippling financial problems meant the club could not register a new contract for their greatest-ever player. 

There had even been hope within the boardroom that Messi might consider playing without pay while new terms were arranged. However, that was hardly a realistic solution to the problem at the time.

Messi ultimately ended up leaving Barcelona to join Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer, delivering a tearful farewell press conference in the process.

On the bright side, Laporta also admitted that there has been some rapprochement, so it may not be long until both parties bury the hatchet for good.

Laporta is focused on his current Barcelona squad, who are leading the La Liga title race. Just one point separates them from title rivals Real Madrid.