Lionel Messi’s dream since his difficult 2021 departure had always been to return to FC Barcelona, an attempt he made multiple times but ultimately never achieved. One of the closest moments came in 2023, just before he completed his move to Inter Miami, but the plan fell apart again. Now, new details about that failed operation have come to light.
The process began just days after Messi lifted the 2022 World Cup with Argentina, while in France many PSG fans remained unconvinced by his performances, leading to waves of boos at the Parc des Princes. In January, Messi phoned then-Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández to share his decision to return to the club at the end of the season, when his PSG contract was set to expire.
Upon receiving Messi’s call, Xavi immediately pushed for the move to happen and started outlining a plan to reintegrate his longtime teammate into the squad. The process accelerated in February 2023 when Messi invited Xavi to meet with his father and agent, Jorge Messi. The coach informed club president Joan Laporta, who grew excited about a reunion after how things unraveled in 2021.
Months later, in April, Barcelona sporting director Mateu Alemany told Xavi that La Liga had given the green light for the operation to move forward in July, paving the way for a contract to be drafted: a two-year deal with only minor details remaining. Approaching the end of his PSG deal, Messi expected his return to Barcelona to finally materialize, but the situation changed abruptly in the final stretch.
Lionel Messi of Paris Saint-Germain.
In late April, Jorge Messi contacted Xavi to inform him that the deal was off because La Liga had ultimately blocked the transfer. With the league and club executives shifting their stance, Messi, by then a free agent following the June 30 expiration of his PSG contract, grew tired of waiting for the Catalan club and ultimately chose to sign with Inter Miami, putting the long-awaited return on hold again.
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Messi and a broken relationship with Laporta
In 2020, Messi participated in Barcelona’s presidential elections for the first time, and while the vote was secret, it was widely assumed he supported Joan Laporta, who had previously served as president from 2003 to 2010 and maintained a strong relationship with Jorge Messi. But the events of 2023 appear to have pushed the Messi family to a point of no return.
Since his 2021 departure, Messi has repeatedly expressed his desire to return to Barcelona, citing his deep roots and emotional attachment to the city. Throughout that period, however, he has avoided mentioning Laporta, who has acknowledged that the relationship with the club legend has deteriorated.
During his recent visit to the Camp Nou, Messi did not notify any Barcelona officials, another sign of the strained relationship with the board. With new rumors of a potential return reappearing, Messi’s comeback seems unlikely as long as Laporta remains in charge of the club.
