Barcelona legend calls out Joan Laporta for lying to Lionel Messi

Former Barcelona star Hristo Stoichkov has accused Barcelona chief Joan Laporta of lying amid the Lionel Messi saga.

Messi is now officially a PSG player having been allowed to leave Barcelona at the end of his contract in July.

The Argentine superstar had agreed a deal to return to Barca more than three weeks ago, but he was told last week that the Catalan giants were now willing to do a deal because it would mean ‘mortgaging’ their TV rights as part of La Liga’s CVC deal.

Barcelona, and specifically president Laporta, have been criticised for their decision, and former forward Stoichkov, who made more than 200 appearances for the club across two spells, winning five La Liga titles, a European Cup and a Ballon D’Or, has joined in with that criticism.

And while he did not specifically name Laporta, it was pretty clear who he was talking about.

Stoichkov said of Messi in an interview with TUDN via Diario AS: “I see him now, with this image, with another shirt, it’s different.

“I find it strange that people promised, that people played on his heart…’I am going to make it possible, ‘ I want to’, ‘I do’.

“But in the end the lie has become very big ”

He added: “It’s very strange, this image. It’s difficult, but life is like this. Wherever he goes, I will always respect him for all that he has done for Barcelona, all that he has done for the people, for my children. I have been very fortunate to have it. It’s difficult.”

Tags FC Barcelona Hristo Stoichkov Joan Laporta Lionel Messi

14 Comments

  1. Laporta is one big lie at Barca and the sooner he’s impeached the better. he used Leo for his campaign while knowing deep down his heart that he was going to ditch Leo. He knew of financial problems before he became the barca chief and for him to act as if he did not have an idea about barca financial woes is misplaced. he is untrustworthy and Batalomeu looks like an armature compared to this clown. griezmann, braithwait, umtiti, panic should have been shipped out to create space for Leo

    1. Bartomeu’s board did not reveal the entire debt. Also, Messi had to go. We need to start the rebuilding now. It has taken a long time but Barca has not still replaced Xavi and Iniesta well. With such a situation on hand, adrenaline will get to work and the remaining players will step up in Messi’s absence. Griezmann, Coutinho and Memphis were star men at their previous teams. Together, they can solve all of Barca’s problems

      1. The entire debt was known to Laporta long time ago,(there is not so much place in a structure like football to hide and find debt,especially in a company where 80% of the budget goes to a few players and most of the rest for transfers)
        but he was still promising Haaland and Messi on and on.

        bfw The rebuilding has already started last season
        and theres still Piquet,Bousquets,Alba from the old generation there and they have long term contracts.

      2. Messi should leave a rebuilding. What about pique, busquet and Jordi Alba who contributes nothing to Barcelona? Are they also part of the rebuilding. Some Barca can be irrational with their thinking

  2. yes am with you but only thing is messi now is 34yrs old how many seasons did think he will do? Barca has very youngs talented like Andy fati demr Yusuf if koeman give them opportunities like pedri what did u expect for Barca attacks… I’m a Barca fan and we are looking for new generation we need youngs not oldest.

  3. I have said it before and will still say it again Barcelona is a clueless and useless club nothing good can ever come out of them again. I wish messi the best in his new club and as for me I can’t continue being a fan of a clueless and hopeless club.

  4. Barca need 2 start afresh.since 2015 dat we won our last champion league with messi things have not been gud.de debt we r owing is 2 much and de salary cap of laliga rules.i believe in laporta and we have kids dat can do it.we have demir,fati,collado,balde,nico.luk at wat griezman and depay played against juventus.let start afresh.

  5. My happy is inevitable about the transfer of the Lionel Messi to PSG and also wanting Barcelona to have much more suffer this season and lost everything. I’m real madrid fan HALA MADRID

  6. The truth is that most barcelona fans have equated Messi with barcelona and without him it will take them a long time to adjust. That team has been built around him for years. We do wish him all the best @ psg

  7. You are totally unethical….how about the respect and giving back to Messi. Who cares how many more years he has as a professional.
    What he has brought to Barcelona and the world, there should be no one commenting about “it’s time to make room for others!!!” Are you actually that stupid

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