Lionel Messi has hit out at Joan Laporta for his comments surrounding the attacker’s departure from Barcelona.
The 34-year-old left Camp Nou for Paris Saint-Germain over the summer following the expiration of his contract, with the Catalan giants unable to sign him to a new deal due to their financial problems.
Barcelona president Laporta said last month that he was hopeful of convincing Messi to play for the club for free but accepted that it would be an impossible ask.
Messi has claimed that he ‘did all he could’ to stay with the La Liga giants and has branded Laporta’s comments “inappropriate”.
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“I did all I could to stay,” Messi told Sport. “At no point was I asked to play for free. I was asked to reduce my salary 50% and I agreed to that without any problems. We were willing to help the club.
“My wish and my family’s wish was to stay in Barcelona. Nobody asked me to play for free, but, at the same time, I think what the president said was inappropriate.
“That hurt me because I don’t think he needed to say that. That creates speculation or makes people think things that I don’t think I deserve.”
Messi, who has a contract at PSG until June 2023, has also revealed that he wants to return to Barcelona at some stage in the future.