A Barcelona presidential candidate is demanding that soccer legend Lionel Messi come forward with the real story behind his failed return to the Spanish club.
Victor Font, who is challenging current president Joan Laporta in this weekend’s election, wants Messi to respond publicly to explosive allegations made by former Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez.
Hernandez recently claimed that Laporta deliberately prevented Messi’s comeback in 2023 due to concerns about a potential power conflict. The accusations have created turbulence ahead of Sunday’s presidential vote, where Barcelona’s member-owners, known as “socis,” will choose their next leader.
“I don’t think Messi will say anything between now and Sunday, but I hope he does,” Font stated on Tuesday. “I hope he tells the truth so that the socis don’t go to the polls misled by Laporta and blinded by the smoke screen of hope generated by Hansi Flick and the young players.”
Barcelona appeared to have reached a deal with Messi after his exit from Paris Saint-Germain in 2023, potentially bringing the Argentine star back to the club where he spent the majority of his career from 2003 to 2021.
However, Messi ultimately chose to join Inter Miami in Major League Soccer instead.
Laporta has maintained that Messi’s decision was motivated by a desire for privacy, influenced by the player’s father, Jorge.
But Hernandez has contradicted this narrative, claiming Laporta was afraid of entering into a “war” with the player and has accused the president of being dishonest.
The conflicting accounts are particularly significant given that Laporta won his current position partly by pledging to retain Messi in 2021, a commitment that ultimately failed when the Argentine superstar departed for PSG instead.
