Gaspart warns Messi over Camp Nou farewell demands
Former Barcelona president Joan Gaspart has warned Lionel Messi that any Camp Nou farewell cannot depend on Joan Laporta leaving office, saying he would boycott a tribute arranged under those conditions.
Gaspart, 82, said Barcelona’s standing must come before any individual as the club continue to wait for Messi’s approval to organise a formal goodbye for supporters. Messi has not returned for a farewell since leaving Barcelona in 2021, with his strained relationship with Laporta seen as the central complication.
Quick facts
- Gaspart was Barcelona president when Messi joined La Masia at 13.
- Messi left Barcelona in 2021 without a stadium farewell.
- The 39-year-old has ended his Argentina career after the 3-0 win over Benin on Tuesday, October 6.
- He remains under contract with Inter Miami until late 2028.
Speaking on the Solo para cules podcast, Gaspart called Messi “the best player in the world” but stressed that Barcelona helped build his career. He said the forward must remember that the club is bigger than him.
“I say it with the affection I have for a player I brought in when he was 13,” Gaspart said. “Barcelona is above him as an individual.”
The former president said he is prepared to be patient, but only to a point. He believes Messi has an obligation to greet Barcelona fans regardless of who occupies the president’s chair.
Gaspart said a refusal to appear while Laporta remains president would cross the line. “If he only comes once Laporta is gone, because Laporta is there, I would not attend the tribute,” he said.
Messi is now concentrating on his club future in the United States after closing his international chapter with Argentina. Barcelona, meanwhile, are still awaiting the definitive approval needed to stage the delayed Camp Nou send-off.
