Messi Barcelona Exit: Ex-President Reveals Who Was to Blame for Shock Departure — 'Renewal Was Possible'
The exit of Lionel Messi from FC Barcelona in 2021 remains one of football’s most debated moments, with former president Josep Maria Bartomeu offering a detailed explanation of what led to the breakdown.
Josep Maria Bartomeu explains Lionel Messi’s Barcelona exit, insisting contract renewal was possible and blaming financial rules and loss disputes in 2021.
Messi left the club as a free agent and signed for Paris Saint-Germain after an emotional farewell at Camp Nou. Bartomeu maintains that keeping Messi was still achievable, but financial restrictions and internal disagreements made renewal impossible.
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Barcelona had considered extraordinary internal adjustments, including temporary salary-free arrangements for the superstar, as they attempted to restructure the wage bill. Despite these efforts, negotiations collapsed.
Bartomeu firmly rejected accusations that the board alone destroyed the situation, arguing that financial rules played a decisive role:
> “It wasn’t the legacy’s fault, but rather financial fair play, because the new board inflated the losses to €555 million.”
He also claimed that revised audits later changed the accounting picture, but by then, Barcelona were already restricted under league regulations.
Addressing claims that Messi was pushed out unfairly, Bartomeu stressed the player’s value to the club:
> “Messi was underpaid for what he delivered, both in sporting, financial and commercial terms.”
He added that Messi had been expected to remain part of a long-term sporting transition involving younger players, but the financial environment prevented that plan from continuing.
The pandemic period further worsened Barcelona’s situation, with revenue collapsing and wage cuts becoming unavoidable.
> “In August, they told us we couldn’t reopen the stadium… and that’s when things came to a head,” Bartomeu explained regarding negotiations with players.
Despite internal efforts to retain stability, the club could not prevent the departure of its greatest ever player.
Messi left Barcelona with 672 goals and 34 trophies, later continuing his career with Inter Miami CF, where he has become one of the most influential figures in world football’s growing American chapter.
