Election of FC Barcelona President: Lionel Messi's Banner Emerges Ahead of March 15 Vote - Photo
- Lionel Messi continues to dominate the Barcelona election conversation even though he is neither voting nor actively participating
- Marc Ciria unveiled a giant banner of Messi across the city, showing Messi holding up his Barcelona shirt at the Santiago Bernabeu
- Fans quickly reacted online, criticising the idea of using Messi’s image for political gain
Lionel Messi's name continues to dominate the conversation among candidates even though the Argentine is neither voting nor actively involved in the upcoming Barcelona presidential elections.
One contender, Marc Ciria of the ‘Moviment 42’ pre-candidacy, took things a step further by launching a bold and attention-grabbing campaign stunt.
Source: Getty Images
On Wednesday, February 18, Ciria unveiled a giant banner of the Argentine superstar across the city.
The massive canvas showcases Messi’s iconic moment holding up his Barcelona shirt to the Santiago Bernabeu crowd, a celebration that has become synonymous with his legacy at the club.
See the campaign banner that features Lionel Messi's image below:
Source: Twitter
The story behind the Messi banner
According to SPORT, the banner features the message: “Looking forward to seeing you again”, echoing the famous slogan Joan Laporta used near the Real Madrid stadium during his successful 2021 campaign.
A QR code on the installation allows fans to send personalised video messages of support directly to Messi, further linking the superstar to Ciria’s vision for the club.
Meanwhile, Ciria has openly expressed his desire to involve Messi in his plans if elected, seeing him as key to revitalising Barcelona both economically and on the pitch, as Barca Universal noted.
Fans react to Messi banner
Once images of the banner surfaced online, fans were quick to react, sharing their disagreements and opinions on X, with some of the comments stated below.
@Kenny:
''Marc Ciria clearly knows how to grab attention—using Messi’s iconic celebration is a masterstroke. Clever nod to Laporta’s campaign too; Barça fans will definitely notice the reference.''
@DePsalmist:
''Messi has moved on we should do same. Undermining the presence of alanine Yamal because of your self ambitions of being a Barca president. Politicians are really dirty. When the boy gets a bad game, they will start blaming him. This isn’t accepted, we have a number 10 already.''
@Culer Strauss:
''If people actually think we should use time on Messi they are more stupid than i thought. Messi is not coming back as a player.''
@Bobby:
''If people actually think we should use time on Messi they are more stupid than i thought. Messi is not coming back as a player.''
@WebedRod:
''This is a wild move tbh, mixing politics with messi’s vibe is def gonna catch ppl’s eyes. laporta’s old campaign line makes it feel nostalgic too, kinda clever play. curious how barça fans gonna react to ciria using that image.''
@HollaDesire:
''Why is thinking that using Messi's image will win him the presidential elections?''
Joan Laporta resigns
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that FC Barcelona underwent a major institutional shake-up on Monday, February 9, as club president Joan Laporta formally resigned during a routine board meeting, ushering in a significant political and organisational shift for the Blaugrana.
Several other senior officials also stepped down, including Vice President for Institutional Affairs Elena Fort and Vice President for Social Affairs Antonio Escudero, as the club gets ready for the March 15 voting.
Proofreading by Omoleye Omoruyi, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
