Barca President Joan Laporta says doors of Barcelona are always open for Lionel Messi

Newly re-elected Barcelona president Joan Laporta extended an olive branch to Lionel Messi, saying the former club icon and current Inter Miami star would always be welcome back. Laporta secured a decisive victory over challenger Victor Font in Sunday’s election, winning 68.1 per cent of the 48,480 votes cast to retain the presidency until 2031.

He prevailed despite Font highlighting his strained relationship with Messi and claims from former Barcelona manager Xavi that Laporta had prevented the Argentine from returning in 2023, two years after his move to France.

Barca President says doors of Barcelona are always open for Lionel Messi

“Leo will be linked to ‌Barcelona in whatever way he wants to be,” Laporta said. “He deserves a tribute (match) and also a statue. That would be hugely significant. ‌Only Ladislao Kubala and Johan Cruyff have statues at the stadium.

“The doors ‌at ⁠Barca are always open to him, whenever he wishes, so ⁠that he can continue to strengthen and bring greatness to this institution.”

Laporta first served as Barcelona president from 2003 to 2010 before returning to the role in 2021, overseeing a major squad overhaul that ultimately led to Messi’s move to Paris Saint-Germain.

During Laporta’s initial tenure, Barcelona rose to become a dominant force in Europe and a consistent La Liga champion, largely driven by Messi’s brilliance.

Now 38, Messi guided the club to 10 domestic league titles and four Champions League trophies before continuing his success in France and later with Inter Miami, where he lifted the MLS Cup in 2025 and secured consecutive league MVP honours.

Barcelona’s all-time top scorer with 672 goals in 778 appearances, Messi has repeatedly said he hopes to return to the club in the final phase of his career a journey that also includes Argentina’s 2022 World Cup triumph.

"Last night, I returned to ‌a place that I miss with all my heart,” Messi wrote last November, talking about the renovated Camp Nou.

“It’s a place where I was immensely happy, where you made me feel like the happiest person in the world a thousand times over. I hope that one day I can return, and not just to say goodbye as ‌a player, as I never got to do...”

Laporta set out his key objectives for the next five years at Barcelona, who currently sit atop the La Liga standings and are aiming to reach the Champions League quarterfinals.

“To keep building a ⁠great team with (manager Hansi) Flick on the bench,” Laporta said. “To win titles, which is ⁠what the fans love, but also to play well. And to finish the stadium halfway through the mandate, because that guarantees the club’s ‌future on a financial level but also a venue fitting for putting on a show on the pitch.

“We also want to keep the ​women’s team really competitive and to keep growing economically. The best years of our lives lie in wait."

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