Lionel Messi hasn’t played for Barcelona in almost half a decade. His only return to Camp Nou since he tearfully bid farewell to the club in 2021 was under the cover of night while the stadium was still under reconstruction. Yet his influence over the Catalan sporting institution remains suffocating.
The greatest player in Barcelona’s history has refused to publicly back either of the two candidates running in the club’s ongoing elections but may very well still sway the votes that are cast on March 15.
