“The free play thing, in any case it had to come from him, not from me”
In the interview on ‘Els Matins’ on TV3, the president of FC Barcelona, Joan Laporta, was also asked about Leo Messi, both about his departure from the Barça team and about the current relationship with the Argentine forward and future plans. The maximum Barcelona president recognized that “we couldn’t talk in Paris”, but he did not hide that “I felt pride and joy” to see him receive the Ballon d’Or “because he deserves it and he did it while spending half a year at Barça.”
Asked about Messi’s words, Laporta also denied that he asked him to play for free: “I don’t know if it would have been possible due to the salary issue, but I I never said to be asked to play for free. In addition, he is the best player in the world, he had an important proposal and it is absurd, in any case it had to come out of him, not me. I have never said it and a controversy is formed of a situation in which the origin is already falsified “
Over a possible return to Barça in the future, Laporta stated that “the club has to have a good relationship with the best player it has ever had in its history, and surely in the history of football. We did what we could. I respect their position and Barça always have their hand out because they know that Barça is their home. And he has said that he wants to return. And I would like, if he wants to return as technical secretary as he said … It is always good that those who have made Barça great come back, as happens with Xavi, with Guardiola … “
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