Joan Laporta is optimistic superstar captain Lionel Messi will remain at Barcelona after being elected president of the LaLiga giants.
Laporta – who held the post from 2003 to 2010 – won the presential race on Sunday, seeing off competition from Victor Font and Antoni Freixa to return to the position as Josep Maria Bartomeu s successor.
Attention will now turn to six-time Ballon d Or winner Messi amid serious doubts over his future at Camp Nou.
Messi has been tipped to leave on a free transfer at the end of the season, with Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain and Premier League leaders Manchester City the reported frontrunners for the 33-year-old.
After his victory, Laporta delivered a speech and said: Today marks 20 years since a boy named Leo Messi debuted with Barcelona s Infantil B [U12-13] team.
Seeing the best player in the world come to vote with his son is an example of what we ve said.
Leo loves Barcelona. That s the reflection of it. The best player in the world loves Barcelona.
Hopefully that will help him to stay at Barcelona. That s what we want.
Joan Laporta: The fact that the best player in the world came to vote today, along with his son, is proof that Leo loves Barça.
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona)
Laporta also paid tribute to Barca great Johan Cruyff, adding: I want to thank all the members for coming out to vote what has been the most important election in the club s history due to [the effects of] the coronavirus pandemic, which has changed our lives.
I want to thank the members that have supported our campaign. This has been a celebration of democracy and of Barcelona. I also want to pay special thanks to Johan Cruyff, who s no longer with us. I am sure he s helped us.
Barcelona is a huge family and we will overcome the difficulties together. We will achieve the objectives that we have set out.
Barca are three points adrift of LaLiga leaders Atletico Madrid, who have a game in hand.
Ronald Koeman s Barca will face Athletic Bilbao in next month s Copa del Rey final, while they are looking to overturn a 4-1 deficit against PSG in the Champions League last 16.
