Laporta Once Rejected City Then Let Messi Go
When stories resurfaced on BD Cricket Live this week, former Manchester City assistant coach Mark Bowen recalled a strange episode from 2008, back when City were still far from becoming a global powerhouse. During a guest appearance on a sports business podcast, Bowen explained how a misunderstanding led City to submit a £35 million bid for Lionel Messi, only to be furiously rejected by Joan Laporta, who was already Barcelona’s president at the time. The offer was never realistic, but it sparked a furious response that later became part of…
