Laporta says Barcelona doors 'always open' to Lionel Messi after re-election

Joan Laporta has been re-elected Barcelona president until 2031, securing a landslide victory that gives him a strong mandate. He defeated rival Víctor Font with 68.18% of the 48,480 votes cast by club members, setting the stage for a second consecutive term overseeing the stadium transition and financial recovery.

Immediately after the result, Laporta addressed Lionel Messi's future, saying "Leo will be linked to Barcelona in whatever way he wants to be." He added that Messi "deserves a tribute [match] and also a statue," noting only Ladislao Kubala and Johan Cruyff currently have statues at the stadium and that "the doors at Barca are always open to him, whenever he wishes." Laporta closed his post-election remarks by promising better times ahead.

Spain, Barcelona

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