Barcelona
"I sent Leo a message, and because I love him so much.. I went too far, I went too far"
Leo Messi /LAPRESSE
ENRIQUE CORBELLA / RYAN MITCHELL
Updated
Joan Gaspart, president of F.C. Barcelona from July 2000 to February 2003, wanted to clarify his brutal rant against Leo Messi on the podcast "Sólo Para Culés".'
Messi should be careful. Barça is above him as a person
Joan Gaspart
“I'm saying this out of the longstanding affection I have for a player I signed when he was 13 years old and I was the president of Barça.. He should be careful. Barça is above any individual,” was the much-discussed warning from the former Barça executive to Messi.
You can love Messi as much as I do, but you can't love Messi more than I do
Joan Gaspart
Gaspart stated that "whoever the president is, Messi should come to say goodbye to Barça", and hardened his stance by pointing out that "if Leo Messi comes to say goodbye and doesn't come because Laporta is the president, and comes on the day Laporta is no longer there, I wouldn't go to that tribute."
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"Who does he think he is?", he emphasized.
'Gaspart: "Am I going to apologize to Messi? I have never apologized to my children when I have reproached them for something"'
Days later Joan Gaspart wanted to clarify his words against Messi.
"Will I ask Messi for forgiveness? I have never asked my children for forgiveness when I have reproached them for something that I thought was best for them. You can love Messi as much as I do, but you cannot love Messi more than I do... I sent a message to Leo, and because I love him so much... I went too far, I went too far. Telling him "we love you very much, but Barça is bigger than you." It could have ended there," he replied to Jota Jordi on ¡Sólo para Culés.