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Sport Football Barcelona president doesn’t regret letting Lionel Messi leave for PSG Messi spent more than 20 years at Barcelona before joining Paris Saint-Germain last summer
Lionel Messi departed Barcelona and joined Paris Saint-Germain last summer (PA Archive) Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
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Your support makes all the difference. Read more Barcelona president Joan Laporta says that he does “not regret” the decision to allow Lionel Messi to leave the Camp Nou for Paris Saint-Germain last summer.
Messi had spent more than 20 years at the Catalan club, but after Barcelona fell into financial difficulties the terms of a new deal could not be realised, and the forward was able to leave as a free agent.
The Argentina captain has since secured a seventh Ballon d’Or despite enduring an injury-disrupted first season in the French capital.
Laporta admits that Messi’s departure was the “hardest decision” that he has ever had to make but the 59-year-old says he put the club first.
“It was the hardest decision I made,” Laporta told BarcaTV+ of Messi’s departure.
“I didn’t want to make the decision. Messi is the best player in history, but that was our situation.
“I had to make a big decision about Messi, but I do not regret it. No-one is above the club. With Messi the reality hit us. There’s nothing else to it.
“But Barcelona’s history continues, and with hard work and correct decisions we can return to the path of success. That’s what we’re doing.”
Messi has scored only twice in 17 Ligue 1 games for his new club.
Barcelona have had their own struggles adjusting to the end of the 34-year-old’s time at the club, moving on from Ronald Koeman as manager in October.
The Dutchman was replaced by Messi’s former teammate Xavi, who has guided the club to third in La Liga, 15 points behind leaders Real Madrid.
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