Former Barcelona president Joan Gaspart has doubled down on his demand for Lionel Messi to hold an official Camp Nou farewell to the Blaugrana fans.
The ex-Barça boss, who signed Messi at age 13, has maintained a special bond with the Inter Miami forward and insisted that Messi should honor Barça fans regardless of who is serving as club president.
Gaspart issued the warning during an appearance on the Solo Para Culés podcast.
“I say this from the historical love I have for a player whom I signed when he was 13 years old and I was the president of Barça,” Gaspart explained during the podcast. However, the former executive believes that Messi should not place his personal circumstances above the institution. “He should be careful. Barça is above him,” he stated.
Since 2021, Joan Laporta has had a strained relationship with Messi. The bad blood is linked to the 2021 Barcelona presidential election, which Laporta won after using Messi’s image during his campaign, only to fail to renew the Argentine’s contract citing Financial Fair Play regulations. Gaspart believes Messi should not deprive the fans of that honor despite the bad blood between him and Laporta.
‘”Whoever the president is, let him come and say goodbye to Barça,” said the former blaugrana president as quoted by Marca.
“If Leo Messi comes to say goodbye and doesn’t come because Laporta is the president and comes the day Laporta is no longer there, I would not go to that tribute,” he stated. Gaspart closed his remarks with a phrase that sums up his stance on the role Messi should have with regard to the club: “Who does he think he is?”.
Having retired from international football last week, Messi is in the twilight of his club career and is expected to call it quits in a season or two.
