The President of Barcelona, Joan Laporta, has moved to protect the advisor Alejandro Echevarria, and gave his version of events regarding the failed return of Lionel Messi in 2023. The Catalan side were in talks to bring Messi back, but during an interview on Sunday night, manager Xavi Hernandez said Laporta had hampered his return.
During an election debate on Monday morning with fellow presidential candidate Victor Font, Laporta put Xavi’s comments down as bitter, because Hansi Flick was enjoying more success than him at the moment. Speaking to Cadena Cope on Monday night, Laporta said the decision not to return depends on Messi alone.
“What hurts me the most is that Mr. Font used a legend of Barcelona like Xavi. I don’t understand why Xavi is talking like this about Messi. It seemed that things would happen after his time at PSG; I gave him a contract to fix things, he came to my house and said that they decided that they would be better in Miami. And that was it. Bringing this now is only mud.”
Laporta is ‘not afraid’ of Messi’s definition
So far, Messi has not been clear about his return, admitting that there have been discussions, but noting that he has been told that Barcelona must sell players for the deal to happen. The president of La Liga, Javier Tebas, says that the league did not approve Messi’s return in terms of the salary cap, while Laporta’s version is different from both.
“There was no need to play well. The contract was sent to Jorge (Messi), and while we were waiting for his answer, May arrived. At the end of the month, he told me that they decided on Inter Miami. That’s how it ended. I’m not afraid of Messi or Jorge to speak. I’m sure they’ll tell the same story. We’ve always understood each other; we won’t change what the story is. Barca fans choose the people we want to represent us in the next five years.
🚨 Hansi Flick: “I have a good relationship with Xavi, but I don’t want to comment on what I talked about with him because it’s a secret. I know what’s going on, but it’s a secret.” pic.twitter.com/ciXYabST6D
– barcacentre (@barcacentre) March 9, 2026
Alejandro Echevarria ‘one of the best people I know’
Meanwhile another focus of Xavi’s interview was the role of mentor Alejandro Echevarria. Originally part of Laporta’s board during his first term, Echevarria resigned in 2005 after it became known to the public that he was a patron of the Francisco Franco Foundation, promoting the ‘work’ of the former Spanish dictator. He is back in the team under Laporta, but has no official job.
“Alejandro works for the team; he is completely honest, especially regarding RFEF and La Liga issues. He always looks for balance in the dressing room. He is one of the best people I know – smart, brave, and honest. He has those qualities. I have Masip, and Alejandro. Some people are paid, but Alejandro, for example, cannot be fired from his life. We had mentors like Johan, who was my idol, and we had a good relationship.”
The former Blaugrana midfielder says Echevarria, who was Laporta’s brother-in-law, is as controlling as the former president himself, and that it was Echevarria who engineered his dismissal.
“It doesn’t matter who is in charge, it’s my turn to lead, and I lead with determination, I make decisions after considering the opinions of those around me. They want to hurt me, a deliberate attempt to hurt me by attacking someone else. It’s unpleasant because if we look at how Xavi’s services were fired, Yuste and Alejandrost from the back said to get out. that things were no longer working I should have been the one to say it’s over with my heart, thank you Xavi, still I still see him.
Elections are scheduled for this Sunday in Barcelona, where one of Font or Laporta will be elected president for five years. The latter is running for his fourth term.
