The crisis knocked on Barsa’s door and they let it pass. And it was precisely its president, Joan Laporta, the door that opened for Messi’s departure from the club. Unlike previous club presidents, who spent hours counting the millions of dollars that went into the institution’s coffers, the only thing left for Laporta is to cross the threshold onto La Rambla Catalana to survive. “One euro for God’s sake to pay DT Koeman!”, he was heard trumpeting just after Juventus’ 3-0. The day before, he had called the president of Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata to ask if he would agree to trade Pulga Rodríguez for 20 shirts with Messi’s name stamped on the back that he would no longer wear. “We need to continue to have some Flea on the team, dammit! We would like to have a single flea among so many dogs “, was justified.
Our Argentine correspondent in Barcelona tells us that he saw another powerful character begging in the streets. A certain Jordi Pérez. Who is this good gentleman? A Catalan businessman in the dairy industry who mortgaged his factory and a large family inheritance to pay the production costs of an extremely expensive advertising campaign with Messi’s image. Upon learning of the star’s departure to PSG, he realized that his dairy brand would not sell a cup of yogurt. And it will go bankrupt. Spoiled milk, he told himself. And to recover from such a financial meltdown, Today you can see him handing out San Lionel de los Milagros stamps at the Barcelona bus terminal in exchange for a 2 euro coin, although I also accept those of 50 cents. And even Argentine patacones and lecops.
Last Saturday, at a press conference, Laporta said he could not put the club’s finances at risk by signing a multimillion-dollar contract. Turns out they had initially agreed to a two-year contract that would be paid over a five-year period. So things didn’t improve and he offered Messi a two-year contract that would pay off in seven. Then another 15 years that would be paid in 60 months. And finally, after counting the coins that remained in the back of the vault, Laporta proposed that he sign a 30-day contract to be paid in 50 years. And that’s when Lío didn’t accept. And he went to PSG. He traded the Montjuic for the Eiffel Tower and the Camp Nou for the Champs Elysees.
However, Laporta will continue to run a club with a smaller budget than Messi himself. He will issue an order to Eurocup officials to avoid playing more games at night for the sole purpose of saving light. It will accept all new sponsors that arise (from Argentina have already signed up to appear in the “Biscochos Don Guillermo” shirt and in a craft stall in Plaza Francia). And he will try to sell a pair of Gold Cups to “Leiva Joyas”. Everything contributes to supporting this… this… I can’t finish the note… Does anyone know how to say “mishiadura” in Catalan?