Barcelona presidential hopeful hangs giant Messi banner in bid to sway voters

Barcelona, 2024 – With just days to go before members cast their ballots to decide the next president of FC Barcelona, candidate Marc Ciria has turned the city itself into a campaign billboard, unveiling a colossal banner of Lionel Messi on Wednesday morning.

The image, stretching across a prominent façade, shows the Argentine clutching his famous No. 10 shirt aloft in front of the Santiago Bernabéu crowd – the same pose that became a symbol of Barça defiance during the Clásico era. Beneath the photograph runs the simple line: “Looking forward to seeing you again.”

The slogan is no accident. It deliberately echoes the banner Joan Laporta hung near Madrid’s stadium during the 2021 race, a stunt that helped propel him back into office. This time, however, the message is paired with a QR code that invites supporters to record personal video tributes that will be forwarded directly to Messi.

Ciria, who fronts the Moviment 42 pre-candidacy, has made no secret of his intention to bring the club’s all-time leading scorer back into the fold. Speaking throughout the campaign, he has argued that Messi’s global brand power is vital to reversing the club’s fragile economic position and has refused to rule out a final on-field cameo should sporting directors give the green light.

The installation arrives at a moment when memories of Messi’s tear-filled farewell in 2021 still loom large over the electorate. Many socios credit Laporta’s vow to renew the forward’s contract with securing his victory three years ago; the fact that the pledge went unfulfilled continues to cast a shadow over the incumbent.

Wednesday’s gesture, however, was carried out without the knowledge or consent of Messi or his entourage. Sources close to the player reiterated that he will remain on the sidelines of the electoral fray, neither endorsing nor opposing any candidate.

As Ciria prepares to open his official headquarters this afternoon, the city’s residents have been left to debate whether the eye-catching homage represents heartfelt nostalgia or calculated political theatre. What is certain is that, for the next 48 hours, the face that defined a golden era will gaze down on Barcelona – a silent reminder of promises past and those still to come.