Joan Laporta, president of FC Barcelona, revealed unknown aspects of his personal and professional life during an extensive interview with journalist Jordi Basté. He discussed his academic journey, his experience in military service, his relationship with Lionel Messi, and his stance on Real Madrid.

Laporta said that he was unable to study medicine because he did not achieve the required grade, explaining: "I studied law because I didn't get the score needed to enter medical school, even though I was a good student."

He continued: "The COU year was difficult, especially after some classmates from the convent school joined, which affected my concentration."

The president of Barcelona added that he was expelled from the Maristes Institute, saying: "A message was sent to my family informing them of my expulsion, which was shocking to my father. My classmates organized a demonstration in support of me so that I wouldn't be expelled. The reason for the expulsion was stealing a physics exam and distributing it to classmates after we were unable to solve it."

Laporta continued talking about his youth, mentioning that he was the class representative and had to participate in all activities, emphasizing that he still keeps in touch with his school and military service friends to this day.

Regarding his military service period, he said: "I moved between Tenerife and Valladolid, and it was a tough experience full of training and difficult tests. I escaped more than once, including once to attend the Sevilla final in 1986."

He added: "In my last month of service, I traveled to Egypt and stayed there for 19 days without my presence being discovered."

Laporta then moved on to talk about Lionel Messi, explaining that his recent appearance at Spotify Camp Nou was a kind gesture from the Argentine star. He added, "Messi's departure pains me, but I am the president, and above all, the institution's interests come first. We communicated only once after his departure, and it was a friendly call without any further consequences."

The president of Barcelona continued: "I signed Messi's first contract when he was sixteen years old, and what he has contributed to the club deserves special recognition," affirming his readiness to organize any initiative befitting the player's legacy.

Regarding his relationship with the president of the Spanish League Association, Javier Tebas, Laporta said: "Tebas is a noble person, and if he gives his word, he keeps it."

He continued: "I prefer the current stability over taking a risk with a change that may not be in the best interest of Spanish football."

Laporta continued his attack on Real Madrid, saying: "They suffer from a chronic obsession with Barcelona and lead ongoing smear campaigns. The Negreira case is being exaggerated, even though we have presented all the evidence proving that we did not buy referees."

The president of Barcelona concluded his remarks with a message during the club's Christmas dinner, saying: "There are those who use the media to tarnish our image and spread lies. We will continue to defend Barcelona and its values. I hope that in the coming years we meet again celebrating even more successes."