Joan Laporta wins Barcelona presidential election rasing hopes Lionel Messi could remain at the club

Joan Laporta has won the Barcelona presidential election after securing 54.3 percent of the votes in the election.

In the elections which ended Sunday night, March 7, a total of 55,611 members voted, with Laporta beating rivals Victor Font ( who won 30 per cent) and Toni Freixa (9 per cent).

Laporta, whose first spell ended in 2010 when Barcelona were the best team on the planet with a squad boasting Iniesta, Xavi, Messi and coached by Pep Guardiola, will now resume for second term at the helm of the club.

That Barcelona squad is still regarded as one of the greatest sides of all time.

Before the election, Laporta had promised those who voted for him that their best chance of retaining Lionel Messi was to vote for him

As Messi’s deal expires in the summer, Laporta has promised to start negotiations with the star player.

When he was asked after the electoral results were announced if he would be in touch with Messi’s entourage tomorrow, he said: “Why tomorrow? I can speak tonight, the night is long.”

“These are the most important elections in the history of FC Barcelona,” Laporta declared. “They have been organised in a model fashion.”