Barcelona president Joan Laporta has spoken to Barça TV to mark one year back at the club's helm, with Lionel Messi among the subjects broached.
Laporta oversaw Messi's departure in August when he was forced to tell the club¡s greatest ever player they could not afford his new contract. Messi later signed for Paris Saint-Germain.
"It was the saddest decision I've taken, I never wanted to have to make it, but I don't regret it, either," Laporta explained.
"I put the institution, the club, ahead of everything else. The club comes before managers and even the best player in the history of the game."
The president said he had no other choice due to "the situation we inherited. For as much will as there was (to renew Messi), the reality was that we couldn't.
"After, it seemed that there was no nothing (left), but those that love Barça know that the story continued, with hard work and well thought out decisions, we can return to success."