Barcelona presidential candidate Joan Laporta has issued a stark warning to the club's members, insisting Lionel Messi will leave the club if he is not elected.
Laporta is favourite to win a second spell in charge of the LaLiga giants when elections to replace Josep Bartomeu as president are held on Sunday.
Messi's future is one of the many major problems facing the club at present with the Argentine star's contract due to expire this summer. Last year, Messi wanted to leave but agreed to back down and stay for another season.
Laporta has continued to promise he will 'do everything possible' to keep Messi at the Nou Camp while on the campaign trail and has now issued a simple warning to members before they cast their vote.
'I have a great relationship with Leo [Messi] and he will consider whatever proposal I make,' Laporta said during a TV debate on Catalonian channel RAC1 on Tuesday with rivals Toni Freixa and Victor Font.
'If I don't win, I am sure that Leo will not stay at Barcelona.
'Messi will weigh up the offer we make him. I'm convinced that if the other candidates win, Messi will not remain at Barcelona. He wasn't happy during Freixa's time on the board.'
Messi almost sensationally quit last summer in the wake of Barcelona's humiliating 8-2 defeat by Bayern Munich after growing disillusioned with proceedings both on and off the pitch.
He then threatened legal action after Barca blocked his move by demanding an astronomical £629million release clause was paid out.
Messi's latest Barca contract - which he signed back in 2016 - was recently leaked to the public and it is worth a staggering £492million. Barca find themselves in financial turmoil and have been told to reduce their spending on wages by LaLiga this week.
But Laporta - who was the president of Barcelona between 2003 and 2010 - believes Messi is not 'guided' by money and is hopeful he will agree to his offer when it comes to renewing his contract.
'He's not guided just by money,' Laporta added.
'He wants a competitive team to win.
'I'm sure he'll listen to my offer, just as I am [sure] that if someone else wins he will leave.'
In another crisis for the incoming president, predecessor Bartomeu was arrested on Monday along with chief executive Oscar Grau and two others for their alleged roles in 'Barcagate'.
It relates to claims that club officials launched a smear campaign against current and former players who were critical of the club and then president Bartomeu.
Messi, Gerard Pique and Pep Guardiola, their former manager and now Manchester City boss, were among those targeted by the negative stories and social media posts.
Barca have been in the hands of an interim management committee led by acting President Carles Tusquets since Bartomeu resigned but members will elect a new leader this weekend.
Brightberry
674
VAR to check if Messi to stay or Leave 😂 😂
Mangisha
575
I dont know why these presidential candidates are using Messi's name to try to win the elections. Especially Laporta, who seems to be the favorite and doesn't need to use Messi's name. I thought Messi would definitely leave ,but right now it seems he might be persuaded to stay especially if there is a good project put up. I would personally like to see him bcos even with a new project Barca won't win big trophies such as UCL right away as their youngster still need to mature, and that doesn't suit Messi as he is aged and still is.
Bzwel19
475
f**k ....With or without Messi Barcelona will be still Barcelona!!
pibekptuz
436
To be honest Barcelona must keep Lionel Messi to rebuild a strong young team around him. If he leaves then the club stand to lose everything, it will take years to build a strong team at the highest level and also lose economic power. They must build a team around him while he's just there to finish moves not create them so that when he retires the team will still be strong. But at the moment is just a Messi team. Messi is Xavi, Iniesta, Suárez at the same time and that's just a burden he carries and isn't possible for him to do that in every game if there are no clinical confident players around him.
ferzoltan
317
Doesn't matter who wins, Barca's ruins won't be built in a season. Either of the presidents won't be able to save Barca on short term, Messi's earning will be their minor problem compared what they gonna inherit after/from Jokeomeu. What they have is the typical politician type of campaigne: promises. Nowadays it's the best tactic, it'$ free of charge. Hard times will come especially at Barca, and Messi knows that. On the other side there are a lot of people behind Messi, who'll advise him the best option for his future...😉. So, if he leaves, surely it's not about who's gonna be the next... It's my opinion.
deba_LFC
242
this is wrong, this is so wrong.... wish Barca all d best, but if ur future depends on Messi, remember he is great and very talented and a delightful miracle worker on d pitch, BUT he is a human being! unless Barca has only maybe 5years left to exist then stick with d bartomeu plan of keeping Messi at all cost and building d future around him and btw has anybody seen another plan for Barca going forward from laporta camp other than "I will make sure Messi remains at Barca", he was there in d last two years, what realy hanged except he won his deservedpersonal awards !!!? Barca needs new ideas, new methods, a new air, not old recycled "Messi knows me" government! m just saying...
Xcellente
210
Juventus fans keeps dreaming.🤣
Husaiklnr
20
VAR to check if Messi to stay or Leave 😂 😂
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VAR has just confirmed that this joke has been used 57 times since yesterday