Barcelona’s Presidential Race Heats Up Ahead of March Elections

omidbasir- The presidential candidates for FC Barcelona are diligently campaigning as the elections, scheduled for March 15th, draw near. Joan Laporta, the incumbent, is the frontrunner seeking reelection but is met with stiff competition from several challengers, including Victor Font—whom Laporta defeated in the last election—along with Ciria, Xavier Vilajoana, Daniel Juan, and William Maddock.

Ciria has garnered attention with a striking campaign banner depicting Lionel Messi holding his Barcelona jersey. This iconic image is from Messi’s memorable celebration after scoring a last-minute winner against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu in 2017.

Messi’s name frequently emerges in presidential campaigns as candidates strive to capture voter sentiment. It is no surprise to hear the Argentine superstar mentioned again during this election cycle, particularly with Ciria advocating for his return to the club.

Following Messi’s discreet visit to the newly renovated Camp Nou in December, Ciria remarked to reporters: “We want our legends to return to the club without needing to do so secretly. We will exhaust all efforts to make this happen. Messi is an essential figure for this club and must return with adequate support and a robust structure in place. The relationship between Messi and Barça should resemble that of Michael Jordan and Nike, transcending commercial and institutional aspects to include sponsors and player development at La Masia. With our greatest player back, we can achieve tremendous success and financial prosperity. It is crucial to bring him home to help us navigate our current financial challenges. This is not about convincing him with a statue or a tribute game, but about crafting an agreement that positions the best athlete in the world as Barcelona’s premier ambassador.”

Victor Font has also incorporated Messi into his campaign narrative, stating in an interview with Mundo Deportivo: “The first call I’ll make when we win the elections will be to Leo Messi. That will be my priority.”

In contrast, Laporta’s relationship with Messi remains strained following the player’s controversial exit from the club in 2021. Sources suggest that Messi remains “very, very angry” with Laporta regarding this departure, which the Barcelona president has acknowledged as a source of personal sadness.

Currently, Messi is under contract with Inter Miami until the end of the 2028 MLS season, although he has expressed a desire to return to Barcelona. In an interview with Sport, he shared: “I genuinely want to return; my family and I miss Barcelona immensely. We often talk about the idea of moving back. We have our home there, so that’s our wish. I am eager to return to the stadium when it’s completed, as I haven’t been back to Camp Nou since leaving for Paris, and now they have relocated to Montjuïc.”

It is likely that Messi will pursue a role at Barcelona once his playing career concludes, and he will undoubtedly be attentively observing the developments at Camp Nou in anticipation of the forthcoming election.

For candidates to advance in the pre-candidacy process, they must secure 10,000 signatures by March 2nd. The final candidates will be announced post this date, leading up to the elections on March 15th, coinciding with Hansi Flick’s team’s match against Sevilla in La Liga.