In a fiery presidential debate ahead of the March 15 elections, Joan Laporta has sensationally hit back at former manager Xavi. Addressing recent claims that he deliberately sabotaged Lionel Messi’s return to Camp Nou, painted a picture of a coach who was struggling under the weight of the job. Laporta didn't hold back when discussing the legendary midfielder's departure, suggesting a lack of professional focus was the primary issue.In an interview with the Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia, former Barcelona manager Xavi Hernández revealed that Lionel Messi was close to returning to the club in 2023 before the move was ultimately blocked.Xavi said that discussions with the Argentine star began shortly after Messi’s World Cup triumph in Qatar, noting that the player had expressed a clear desire to return to Camp Nou. According to the former coach, Barcelona had already received approval from La Liga regarding financial fair play regulations.However, Xavi claimed that club president Joan Laporta decided to halt the transfer, fearing the political and institutional repercussions that Messi’s return could trigger within the club.Laporta opted to strike back during the presidential debate with rival candidate Víctor Font as it quickly turned to the club's failure to bring Messi back in 2023. While Font accused the current administration of "breaking relations with the best player in history," Laporta insisted that the decision rested entirely with the Argentine superstar rather than any boardroom interference. He maintained that a concrete contract offer was put on the table but was ultimately rejected by the Messi camp for personal reasons.Hitting back at Xavi, Laporta said: "He relaxed and couldn't balance his family and professional life. He said our team wouldn't be competitive in Europe. He was constantly dissatisfied with the squad he had. And regarding Messi, in 2023 I sent the contract to Jorge Messi, who was very polite. And in May he told me it couldn't happen because he would be under too much pressure here and that he preferred to go to Miami. And I told him I respected that.”La Liga president Javier Tebas has also addressed the situation and disputed Xavi's telling of events, saying that the Spanish top flight had not given the green light for such a deal to go through.The tension between Laporta and Font escalated when the discussion shifted to the club’s sporting direction and the role of Deco. Laporta defended his sporting director, labelling him one of the best in history alongside Txiki Begiristain, while warning that Font’s proposed changes would destabilize current first-team manager Hansi Flick. Font, however, dismissed the idea that Flick is tied to the current board, insisting the German is a professional who serves the club, not a specific president."What will you change, Deco? Where is the superstructure you talk about if you will continue with the coaches of all sections? The sporting project is at risk with you. If you are president you are going to fire Deco; and Flick is not comfortable without Deco."Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reportingHead coach Flick has firmly shut down media inquiries regarding his private discussions with predecessor Xavi. Despite intense speculation surrounding a rumored apology, the former Bayern boss refused to disclose details, stating, "I know the truth and I’ll keep it to myself."Flick compared the sanctity of his professional relationship with Xavi to his own family life, insisting that their meetings remain confidential. "We are colleagues and we have a good relationship," Flick explained. "But it is a private matter - like a conversation with my wife. I don’t comment on it because I know what happened."