"Lionel Messi and his family are very, very angry" - Ex-Barcelona chief reveals what he knows about Argentine superstar's feelings about Joan Laporta

Former Barcelona vice-president Jordi Mestre has claimed that Lionel Messi and his family are furious with Blaugrana's president, Joan Laporta. He went on to claim that Messi's anger could be linked to the manner of his departure from the Camp Nou in August 2021.

Speaking to Sport360 in a recent interview, Mestre reflected on the 38-year-old stint at Barcelona. He also insisted that Lionel Messi helped the La Liga giants in generating a lot of revenue, saying (via Barca Universal):

"It’s true that he earned a very good salary, but he earned it, and he also made the club a lot of money. There were players who came to Barça because they wanted to play with Messi, world-class stars who wanted to come because Leo was there. I know, from third parties, that Leo Messi and his family are very, very angry with Laporta. Very angry. What he said about the barbecue… we’ve seen it before."

One departure from Barcelona, which stunned the football world, was that of Lionel Messi in 2021. Meanwhile, his exit was reportedly due to the LaLiga giants' inability to register his fresh contract due to their financial constraints at the time.

The forward arguably didn't receive a proper send-off as well, considering his contributions for the club. However, Blaugrana are reportedly preparing to honor Messi when the renovations at the Camp Nou are completed. Lionel Messi scored 672 goals and delivered 303 assists in 778 games for the 2024-25 La Liga champions.

"I gave everything for this club from the first day" - When Lionel Messi spoke about his exit from Barcelona

Nashville SC v Inter Miami CF - Source: Getty

Lionel Messi once revealed that he did everything within his power to make Blaugrana succeed. He also disclosed that he never imagined a situation where he would have to bid farewell to the supporters.

During his farewell speech in 2021, Messi spoke about his stint at the Camp Nou. He said (via Football365):

"I gave everything for this club from the first day I arrived to the last. I never imagined having to say goodbye as I didn’t think about it. A lot of things have gone through my head. I’ve still not come to terms with the reality of leaving this club now and changing my life. We need to accept it and move forward."

Messi spent 21 years at Barcelona and left the club in August 2021. He likewise lifted 10 LaLiga titles, four UEFA Champions League trophies, among others. The Argentine is presently with Inter Miami as he gears towards the end of his remarkable career.

About the author

Abel is an European football journalist who focuses primarily on analysis pieces and preview copies at Sportskeeda. A B.Sc degree holder in Economics, he has a previous work experience of 3 years – a year at Opera News Hub where he was promoted as a 'Verified Sports Writer,’ and over two years at Sportskeeda as a revenue-share writer, where his writing skills have ultimately led him to be integrated into the in-house team.

A Manchester United fan who grew up in a family of Red Devils supporters, he started his journey as an ardent football fan in his childhood. He used to spend hours watching the sport with his family and developed a knack for writing about the beautiful game over the years.

He is a huge admirer of Paul Pogba owing to the midfielder's ability to thread passes from anywhere on the pitch and his favorite manager is Jose Mourinho due to the Portuguese's tactical mind. He feels France's triumph in 2018 is his all-time favorite World Cup moment, and reckons Lamine Yamal and Endrick could replicate the rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Abel always strives to verify information, especially statistics, before penning a word and offers constructive but not defamatory criticisms. Apart from Europe's top five leagues, he follows the Eredivisie and the Primeira Liga. He loves to spend his free time playing video games like EA FC and watching movies.

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Edited by Abel Yisa