Barcelona candidate unfurls huge Messi banner and reuses Laporta slogan

Marc Ciria has unfurled a huge banner bearing Lionel Messi in Barcelona's city centre as he campaigns to replace Joan Laporta. The poster borrows the slogan Laporta used near the Santiago Bernabeu: "Looking forward to seeing you again." Elections take place on March 15th, with Laporta the favourite but facing rivals including Victor Font, Xavier Vilajoana, Daniel Juan and William Maddock.

Candidates must gather 10,000 signatures to clear the pre-candidacy stage by March 2nd. The image shows Messi holding his Barcelona shirt in the stoppage-time celebration after his 2017 winner at the Bernabeu. Ciria has repeatedly said the club must bring Messi back, calling him "an indispensable figure" and arguing the Messi-Barça relationship should be like the "Michael Jordan-Nike one." Laporta's relationship with Messi remains strained after the player's 2021 exit, and Messi is said to be "very, very angry" with him.

Spain, Barcelona

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