Barcelona president Joan Laporta says they had no other option but to allow Lionel Messi to come off contract this summer.
Messi left Barca for PSG in August after it was decided by Laporta and his board that a new contract offer could not be tabled.
Laporta explained to RAC1: "With Messi, we had no fair play.
"There was not the necessary margin and then it turned out that the investment that had to be made could have put us in danger.
"The institution came first. Barça is ahead of Messi and any president."
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