Stay classy FC Barcelona President Joan Laporta. In a statement that is being blasted all over social media (and deservedly so), the Catalan club responded to Lionel Messi making the move to MLS like a bitter, jilted ex-lover.
That’s totally on Laporta, who has a history of sometimes being classless and unprofessional. Barca responded to the news of Messi joining Inter Miami by saying they “understood” the Argentine’s decision to move to a league with less media attention, and fewer demands on players.
“On Monday, Jorge Messi, the player’s father and representative, informed club president Joan Laporta of the player’s decision to join Inter Miami,” the Barca official statement reads.
“This despite having been presented with a proposal from Barca, in consideration of the desire of both Barcelona and Messi for him to once again wear the club’s colours.
“President Laporta understood and respected Messi’s decision to want to compete in a league with fewer demands, further away from the spotlight and the pressure he has been subject to in recent years.”
Wow! Salty! Say it again- salt-y. Really when you’re a club that is the size and stature of Barcelona, this kind of behavior is so far beneath you. That is so obvious is goes without saying.
This is the biggest move in Major League Soccer history. Whether or not you think Lionel Messi is the G.O.A.T. is a different question for a different time and space.
He is instantly the G.O.A.T. to play in the American top flight. Also, Barcelona shouldn’t be so over-sensitive, as other clubs were rejected by Messi too. He turned down a reported $400 million per year from Saudi Arabia, to take his talents to South Beach.
Not to mention Paris Saint-Germain, Lionel Messi snubbed them too.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He’s written for numerous publications, including the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. He regularly appears on NTD News and WGN News Now. Follow the website on Twitter and Instagram.