Laporta opens the door for Messi to return to Barcelona: “I hope Leo's story with the club is not over"

As the world would have imagined, Barcelona’s doors will always be open to Lionel Messi. The club’s legendary idol left Barcelona a year ago, forced out of the club because of the financial issues that almost brought the club to oblivion. One year and a club president later, as Joan Laporta returned to preside over Barcelona, reports suggest a possible Messi return.

Joan Laporta spoke to ESPN ahead of the Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid in Las Vegas and talked about the possible return of Leo Messi to Camp Nou. The azulgrana president remains hopeful that the Argentine could return.

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"Messi has been everything, for Barça he has been possibly the best player in history, the most efficient, only comparable to Johan Cruyff in the history of Barça," commented Laporta with just a few hours to go before the eagerly awaited match.

"But it had to happen one day, we had to make a decision as a consequence of the legacy we had received, the institution is above players and coaches, but I wish that the Messi chapter is not yet over at Barça and I think it is our responsibility to ensure that this chapter, which has not yet closed, has a good moment in which it can be done as it should have been done and has a much more splendid end than it was," added the president.

Barcelona will always be in debt with Messi

Laporta reiterated that the economic problems generated during the management of Josep Bartomeu almost made Barcelona disappear, which led him to make the tough decision to say goodbye to Messi (due to his high salary), recognizing that they were losing an "idol".

"Yes, morally. As president of Barça, I think I did what I had to do, but on a personal level and also as president, I think I am indebted to him," he closed.