Barcelona’s president, Joan Laporta, has discussed Lionel Messi’s exit from the club in 2021.

He said he was right to let the legendary player leave due to the financial difficulties the club faced at the time.

Messi is often considered the greatest player in the history of the Blaugrana.

Nevertheless, he had to depart from the club in 2021 because of its financial constraints and LaLiga’s salary regulations.

He subsequently signed with Paris Saint-Germain before transferring to Inter Miami two years later.

Laporta justified his decision to part ways with the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, telling Marca:

“I had to make a decision, and I believe it was the correct one; the outcomes are evident.

“We managed to restore the club’s financial health, assembled a competitive team, and it was time for a generational shift.

“Leo was nearing the end of his career, and we needed to build a new team. Would I have preferred to create a new team with Leo’s assistance? Yes. We attempted that, but it was not feasible.”

In 2023, Lionel Messi was also rumored to be making a return to Barcelona, but he ultimately chose to join Inter Miami instead.