Barcelona presidential candidate, Joan Laporta, has warned that the club’s captain, Lionel Messi, will leave Camp Nou if he is not elected president.
Laporta believes Messi is not guided by money and is hopeful the Argentine captain will agree to his offer when it comes to renewing his contract.
Messi almost sensationally quit Barcelona last summer in the wake of the club’s humiliating 8-2 defeat against Bayern Munich after growing disillusioned with proceedings both on and off the pitch.
His future at Barcelona is uncertain as he is yet to sign a new deal with the La Liga giants.
The 33-year-old’s contract with Barcelona will expire this summer.
But Laporta, who is favourite to win a second spell in charge of Barcelona when elections to replace Josep Bartomeu as president are held on Sunday, promised he would do everything possible to keep Messi at the Blaugrana.
“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’m sure that Leo will not stay at Barcelona.
“Messi will weigh up the offer we make him. I am convinced that if the other candidates win, Messi will not remain at Barcelona. He was not happy during Freixa’s time on the board.”
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