Presidential aspirant faults Xavi for allowing himself to be “used” by contestant Victor Font
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has hit back at Xavi after the former player and manager accused him of trying to cling on to power and having stopped Lionel Messi’s return to Camp Nou in 2023 for that very reason.
The comments come as Barcelona’s presidential elections draw closer. Laporta, who returned as president in 2021, is competing against primary rival Victor Font and lines have been drawn.
In an interview last week Xavi blamed Laporta for several setbacks during his time in charge of La Blaugrana. Relations between the two figures have remained strained since Xavi was sacked in May 2024, only a month after he was convinced to stay, having announced his decision to step down earlier in January that year. Laporta appointed Hansi Flick in his place.
In his speech against Laporta the former coach said: “I’m never going back to Barca. I’ve already done my time as a player and coach. Now I just want to tell the truth.
“Messi didn’t come to Barca because Laporta didn’t want him. It’s a lie that his father asked for more or that La Liga didn’t want him. Laporta has all the power at the club and he knew that Messi would manage that power for him.”
Laporta responded: “I was surprised and hurt. When I see these statements from Xavi, I think of Flick. It’s hard to be president of Barca and you have to make difficult decisions. I did what I had to do.
“With Xavi, I saw that we were going to lose, and with Flick, I see that we are going to win. I understand that he is hurt. While Xavi was losing, Flick is winning games with the same players.”
The presidential aspirant also claimed that it was financial difficulties and Messi’s own concerns that ultimately prevented a deal from happening in 2023.
“With Messi, when we couldn’t renew his contract due to financial reasons, in 2023 he [Xavi] told me that Messi wanted to return,” Laporta said.
“I sent the contract to Jorge Messi, who later came to my house and told me that he would have too much pressure here.”
Laporta also tore into Xavi for not being good enough as a manager and for allowing Barcelona presidential hopeful, Font, to use him in his campaign. Font has frequently sought to gain more support by criticising the current administration.
“Xavi explains in the interview the reasons why I fired him,” Laporta said. “He became complacent and couldn’t balance his professional and personal life.
“He said that Barca wouldn’t be competitive with Real Madrid. He asked to change players, and I told him he couldn’t continue. Xavi was dissatisfied with the squad and the referees. He said the squad wasn’t competitive. It was a recurring theme.
“It hurts me that he allowed himself to be used. Behind Xavi, there is someone who is using him, and that is Victor Font. He is trying to muddy the waters.”
