Barcelona president Joan Laporta has stated that he is not regretful for allowing Lionel Messi to depart Camp Nou last summer because he wanted to put the club first.
Messi had to say an emotional farewell to his childhood club Barcelona after the Catalan giants were unable to renew his contract due to LaLiga restrictions.
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The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner moved from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer.
“It was painful,” Laporta said of his choice to let Messi leave Barcelona, according to Barca TV.
“If I take stock, it’s the saddest decision of all and I would never have wanted to make it, but I’m not sorry either because I wanted to put the club ahead of everything, even ahead of coaches and the best player in history.
“And we had to do it. Because the situation we inherited is what it was. And due to a lot of will and intentionality we had, we came across a reality.”