Barcelona presidential candidate takes subtle swipe at Joan Laporta over Lionel Messi’s controversial departure

After a major squad rebuild and an economic recovery, Joan Laporta is seeking re-election in order to continue his project at Barcelona. However, he has received strong criticism from a presidential candidate over the handling of Lionel Messi’s departure.

Following the heavily criticized management of Josep Maria Bartomeu, Joan Laporta took over at Barcelona, aiming for an economic recovery and a rebuild of the roster. While he did manage to carry out a successful overhaul of the squad, the departure of Lionel Messi has decisively marked his presidential term. As he moves toward seeking re-election, Joan has received strong criticism from another candidate over the way Messi’s exit was handled.

Ahead of Barcelona’s presidential elections, Marc Ciria has decided to make Lionel Messi a central part of his project. By promoting the “Moviment 42,” he aims to bring the Argentine legend back, even going as far as placing a giant banner on the streets of Barcelona with the phrase, “Looking forward to seeing you again,” alongside an image of the Argentine. The candidate has also chosen to deliver strong criticism of Joan Laporta over his handling of the player’s departure.

“Every time we meet partners, they tell us that we have to give our all so that Leo Messi returns. Since 2021, we have been saying that one of the biggest strategic mistakes in the club’s history was expelling Leo Messi. This tribute is based on passion, emotion, and being clear that we are the good guys. Most members want to recover the excitement of having the best player in history at home, from where he never had to leave,” Marc Ciria as quoted by Mundo Deportivo.

Even though Laporta centered his election campaign on Messi, he couldn’t secure his continuity. Due to Barcelona’s dire finances, Joan decided to let him go, unable to accommodate his multi-million dollar salary. As a result, Lionel left the team without a triumphant farewell, sparking fury among fans and candidates like Marc Ciria. Despite this, the Argentine has no intention of commenting on his departure or his campaign banner, reports Mundo Deportivo.

Marc Ciria criticizes Laporta’s lack of investment in La Masia

Throughout Joan Laporta‘s tenure as president, Barcelona have undergone major roster rebuild. Letting veteran players leave, Laporta and the sporting directors placed their bets on players from La Masia. As a result, Pau Cubarsi, Alejandro Balde, Gavi, Fermin Lopez, Lamine Yamal, and even Gerard Martin took center stage. Despite this, presidential candidate Marc Ciria claims there has been a significant decline in investment in the youth academy.

During a meeting with Penya Barcelonista Matinera of Barcelona, Marc Ciria disclosed that investment in La Masia has dropped by 30% since Laporta’s arrival. Ciria, who identifies the academy as a cornerstone of his vision, seeks to overhaul this approach, recognizing it as one of the club’s most crucial assets. In this context, he advocates for increased and enhanced investment, with the goal of surpassing current performance levels.

Alongside this, Ciria announced that he will seek to strengthen loyalty among the club’s current members, avoiding situations like the resale of tickets against opponents such as Eintracht Frankfurt. To achieve this, the candidate stated that he will freeze season-ticket prices for five years, pushing back against the constant price increases implemented by Laporta since his arrival.