Joan Laporta gives bizarre explanation for Barcelona’s failure to sign Lionel Messi

Joan Laporta has insisted that Lionel Messi turned down the opportunity to re-join Barcelona due to his ‘difficult’ spell at Paris Saint-Germain.

Messi spent two seasons at PSG after leaving Barça in 2021 due to the club’s inability to register his contract thanks to financial issues, but managed to score just 32 goals for the club in that period. Despite winning two Ligue 1 titles, poor performances in the UEFA Champions League led to Messi being the subject of a number of fan protests at the tail-end of his career in Paris.

The legendary Argentine was available on a free transfer this summer thanks to the expiration of his contract at Paris Saint-Germain, and Barca had been confident of re-signing their all-time highest goalscorer.

Ultimately, however, Messi would opt to join MLS side Inter Miami instead and speaking to Mundo Deportivo, president Laporta has attempted to explain why.

“The player wanted it, the father wanted it, but the rhythms are different. We didn’t want what happened last time,” he said.