Lionel Messi made a secret visit to see the newly renovated Camp Nou over the weekend, fueling speculation that he could return to Barcelona in the January transfer window.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has poured cold water on speculation about Lionel Messi being linked with a return to the club. Messi, 38, left Barça in 2021 after failing to agree a new contract and joined Paris Saint-Germain for two years.
The Argentine currently plays for Inter Miami in MLS, but the season ends in December and the league does not restart until the spring. As a result, Messi has some free time in his schedule and hopes to maintain his sharpness in the lead-up to the World Cup.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner signed a new three-year contract with Miami last month but hinted at a return to Barcelona after secretly visiting the newly renovated Camp Nou at the weekend. But Laporta said a short-term move was “unrealistic.”
“His departure was not what we wanted,” Laporta admitted on Radio Catalunya. “However, out of the utmost respect for Messi and the entire club, it would not be appropriate for me to make unrealistic speculations.”
The Barça boss added: “We didn’t know he was coming, but the Camp Nou is his home. They told us what happened. It was a nice gesture. He had just finished dinner and felt he wanted to come with his friends.”
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“This was a spontaneous act in the spirit of Barcelona. It’s only natural that Leo would have the most beautiful memorial in the world. Once the stadium is completed, it will be able to accommodate 105,000 fans, so we hope that.”
Messi hinted at his desire to play for the La Liga champions again in an emotional Instagram post from Camp Nou. “Last night I returned to a place I had missed with all my soul,” he wrote.
“A place where I was incredibly happy. A place where you made me feel a thousand times the happiest person in the world. I hope to return someday. It’s not just a farewell as a player who never got to go.”
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Messi still has blaugrana flowing through his veins, and recently told Dario Sport: “(Barcelona) is amazing. Whenever I hear about Barcelona, about the people, about the times like we lived in, it always fills me with a little bit of nostalgia. And it gives me a lot of emotions.”
After the international break, when Argentina play a friendly in Angola, Messi’s focus will turn to the MLS playoffs. Miami will play Cincinnati next Sunday, Nov. 23, in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
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