The full story behind Messi’s Barcelona exit – Laporta’s secret plan and Florentino Perez’s hand | OneFootball

The events leading to Joan Laporta’s decision not to renew Lionel Messi’s contract at Barcelona back in the summer of 2021 unfolded over a series of complex developments.

These events, which eventually led to the record Ballon d’Or winner’s departure from the club of his heart, were shaped by financial pressures and internal club dynamics and now SPORT has come forward with the full story behind what went down.

Laporta’s plan

Laporta won the 2021 presidential elections at Barcelona thanks to two key promises: “I want to see you again” and “I will fix things with Messi over a barbecue.”

However, when Laporta took charge, he was met with a club in crisis. The previous board’s management had left Barcelona in a disastrous situation, further exacerbated by the severe financial consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.

La Liga needed urgent financial support, and its president, Javier Tebas, found a solution in the form of an investment fund, CVC, which initially agreed to invest €1.9b (later reported to reach €2.7b) in exchange for television broadcasting rights for the league over 25 years.

Tebas, who was at odds with Real Madrid’s president Florentino Perez, needed Barcelona as an ally and therefore arranged a meeting with Laporta and businessman Jaume Roures.

Laporta had a plan in the works to secure Messi’s renewal. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

The three met for lunch on July 3, where they laid the groundwork for Barça’s participation in the CVC agreement. This deal would also enable Laporta to fulfil his promise to Jorge Messi, Lionel Messi’s father, to renew the player’s contract.

A month later, on Monday, August 2, Tebas presented the details of the CVC deal to the clubs. However, Barça and Real Madrid were apparently not fully informed.

In fact, Real Madrid seemed completely excluded from the deal, while Barça, as mentioned earlier, were already involved. This was the moment when Laporta’s plan began to unravel, leading to an irreversible outcome for Messi’s future at the club.

Florentino Perez’s involvement

Upon receiving the details of the CVC deal, Florentino Perez, Real Madrid’s president, was furious. He had not been consulted and was not willing to yield to Tebas. He immediately called Javier de Jaime, the financial head of CVC in Spain and Italy, demanding a meeting that same afternoon.

When De Jaime arrived at Perez’s office, the Real Madrid president asked him to explain. Perez could hardly believe what he was hearing.

At that moment, the investment money from CVC, which was essentially to be considered as debt, appeared to be heavily beneficial to the investment fund but very disadvantageous for the clubs.

Perez felt that the TV rights of a major competition like La Liga should be valued far more generously than CVC was offering. Meanwhile, in Barcelona, Laporta continued preparations for the signing of Messi’s renewal.

Perez did not approve of the CVC agreement. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Perez instructed his right-hand man, Jose Angel Sanchez, to call Ferran Reverter, Barcelona’s general director, to inquire if he was aware of the CVC agreement Laporta had been negotiating with Tebas.

Sanchez spoke with Reverter, who confirmed he had no knowledge of the deal. Laporta had kept the entire operation under wraps, intending to reveal it only once Messi’s renewal was finalised.

At this time, Messi was spending time on holiday in Ibiza with friends and teammates. His father, after receiving a call from Laporta, flew into Barcelona from Miami on Wednesday of that week.

Messi was scheduled to meet Laporta on Thursday, August 5, at 4:00 PM at the Leo Messi Management office in the city. The deal was ready to be notarised, and later that afternoon, the media would witness the legend signing documents on the pitch at Spotify Camp Nou.

The official press release was even written and ready to be sent to the media, announcing the renewal of the Argentine star. However, this announcement would never see the light of day.

Reverter’s phone call that changed things

Reverter was now faced with a crucial dilemma: should he inform Laporta or turn to Jose Elias, the main backer of Laporta’s presidency – having put nearly €40 million of his money into securing his victory in the elections.

Reverter chose to call Elias first, which would eventually lead to a significant rupture with Laporta. He was furious upon learning the details of the CVC agreement and informed the Barça president that if he proceeded with it, Elias would withdraw his support immediately.

Laporta had no choice but to comply with Elias’ demands, as failing to do so would jeopardise his presidency. This meant the end of Messi’s renewal, as Laporta lost the financial backing needed to fulfil his electoral promise.

Messi’s final attempt

Messi left Barcelona in 2010. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Despite the mounting difficulties, Laporta was still trying to salvage the situation. Messi’s father, Jorge, had arrived in Barcelona, and Messi himself was waiting in Ibiza. Laporta needed more time to explain that what had been promised could not be delivered.

He publicly blamed CVC, claiming that agreeing to the deal would have mortgaged the club for 25 years.

From Messi’s camp, there was no understanding of the sudden change in plans. Everything had been agreed upon. Jorge even told Laporta that his son was willing to stay at Barcelona under any conditions, as long as it was not a financial issue.

However, by this point, Laporta had already made his decision, having ruled out the CVC deal. He was not going to backtrack, and as a result, Messi’s departure became inevitable.

The Argentine forward’s non-renewal was not just about money; there was a lot more to it. In the end, it was a series of miscalculations that led to the downfall of Laporta’s plan, forcing Barcelona and Messi into a painful separation.