Posted on November 25, 2021 at 6:00 a.m. by Th.B. Upon his return to the presidency of FC Barcelona on March 7, Joan Laporta would have taken the lead for the extension of Lionel Messi by even offering him the option of hanging up his boots at Barça. After a largely successful first spell as president of FC Barcelona between 2003 and 2009, years in which Barça won two Champions Leagues, Joan Laporta was reelected club president last March. Upon taking office, Laporta would have joined Lionel Messi in order to encourage the latter to extend his contract which ended on June 30, 2021. Moreover, the president Laporta would have even promised to the one who is now the number 30 of PSG , the possibility of retiring to FC Barcelona. “The situation of Leo Messi's contract, at the end of his contract in June 2021, would change thanks to the new president Joan Laporta, former president of Barça who has done great things in the past also thanks to players like Lionel Messi himself but also Andres Iniesta, Xavi, Eto'o, many legends of the club. And then Leo Messi, when he heard that Joan Laporta was joining the club as the new president, was absolutely delighted. He was 100% happy with this Barcelona decision. At the end of February, the first week of March, Joan Laporta was elected the new president of FC Barcelona. Laporta's first message was addressed directly to Lionel Messi himself: “I want you to stay at the club. You are part of the project. You are going to retire as a Barcelona player. So Laporta's message was so strong in public, but also in private. ”said Fabrizio Romano in a column for CBS Sports. 
“You are going to retire as a Barcelona player”
Mercato | Mercato – Barcelona: Laporta had everything planned for Messi, but …
