LIVE: Joan Laporta press conference – Barcelona president insists a new contract for Lionel Messi would have ‘risked’ club’s future, says the star will NOT stay and blasts ‘calamitous’ former board
Barcelona president Joan Laporta is set to hold a press conference this morning to address the shocking news that Lionel Messi is officially leaving the club.
The Spanish giants broke the news last night, announcing that Messi would not be renewing his contract due to the ‘financial and structural obstacles’ the club are facing.
Messi, who has been a free agent since July 1 when his contract expired, had been in extensive talks to prolong his 20-year plus career, but with the news – which has sent shockwaves around world football – Messi must now prepare for life away from the Nou Camp.
Follow Sportsmail’s SAM BLITZ for live updates of Barcelona president Joan Laporta’s press conference, as he addresses the exit of Lionel Messi.