The president of FC Barcelona, Joan Laporta said he is convinced that the club’s talisman, Lionel Messi, would remain at the club beyond this season.
The newly elected president stated this after the 33-year-old Argentine football star helped the Spanish giants to win this season’s Copa del Rey on Saturday, April 17, 2021.
In the Copa del Rey final between FC Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao, Antoine Griezmann gave FC Barcelona the lead in the 60th minute. Frenkie de Jong made it 2-0 in the 63rd minute.
Afterward, it became Lionel Messi’s show as he scored two goals within 5 minutes to win coach Ronald Koeman his first major title as a football manager. The Argentine football icon made it 3-0 in the 68th minute and made it 4-0 in the 72nd minute.
After the victory, the newly elected president of the club, Laporta, described the Argentine football star as the best footballer in the world, noting that he would do everything possible to make him stay at the club.
“Leo is the best player in the world and has a very strong bond with the club. I’m convinced he wants to stay and we’ll do everything in our hands to make sure he does,” Laporta said.
“Today he could see he is backed up by a great team who are capable of playing beautiful football.”
Recall that Lionel Messi wanted to leave FC Barcelona in the summer of 2020 but he could not do so due to the heavy release clause attached to his contract. However, this summer might be a different case for him because his contract with the club will expire at the end of this season.
Before the club’s former president Josep Maria Bartomeu ended his time at the club, the football administrator tried to do everything possible to extend the contract of the Argentine star but failed.
When Joan Laporta was campaigning to become the president of Barcelona, he insisted that he would convince the 6 time Ballon d’Or winner to stay. Since he was declared the club’s president, he has not stopped insisting that he would ensure the Argentine star extends his contract.
📸 Football ❤️ #Messi
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) April 18, 2021
🙌 Captain. Teammate. Idol. pic.twitter.com/DT8yHYeupr
Despite the contract tussle between him and FC Barcelona, Lionel Messi has continued to give his best to the club. So far this season, he has scored 23 league goals and provided 10 assists in 28 games.
While in all competitions this season, Messi has scored 31 goals and provided 13 assists in 40 games. Besides winning Copa del Rey for Barcelona, he could land Barcelona a La Liga title at the end of this season.
Barcelona are currently 3rd on the league table with 65 points in 30 games, three points below first placed Atletico Madrid with a game in hand.
