Barcelona president Joan Laporta says Lionel Messi’s return to the club is “unrealistic”

Record eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi has reignited excitement among Barcelona fans after revealing his hope to one day return to the Spotify Camp Nou to receive the farewell he “never got.”

The 38-year-old Argentine left his boyhood club in 2021 amid heartbreak and controversy, as financial constraints forced Barcelona to let him go without the proper send-off he deserved. Years later, Messi sparked speculation about a potential tribute match after sharing an emotional social media post during a recent visit to Spain.

Messi’s post featured photos of him walking around Camp Nou, which has been under redevelopment since 2023. The visit came just before he joined the Argentina national team for international duty, sending Barcelona fans into a frenzy.

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However, Barcelona president Joan Laporta poured cold water on the idea of a potential return, calling it “not realistic.”

Barcelona President Joan Laporta says that Lionel Messi returning to the club isn’t happening 🙃 pic.twitter.com/PYUf8cfNVk

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“His departure wasn’t as we wanted. But out of the utmost respect for Messi and everyone at the club, for me to feed speculation that is not realistic is not appropriate,” Laporta said.

The Barcelona president admitted he was as surprised as anyone when Messi made his first return to Camp Nou since his sudden exit to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021.

“I didn’t know he was coming, but Camp Nou is his home. They told me what happened. It was a nice gesture. He had just finished dinner and felt like coming with some friends. It was a spontaneous act in the spirit of Barcelona. It’s only fair that Leo should have the most beautiful tribute in the world. When the stadium is finished, we will have a capacity of 105,000 fans, so we would like that,” Laporta added.

Having joined Barcelona as a 13-year-old in 2001, Messi spent two decades with the club, guiding them to nine LaLiga titles, four UEFA Champions League trophies, and seven Copa del Rey crowns, among numerous other honors.

Messi remains Barcelona’s all-time leading scorer with 672 goals and their record appearance holder with 778 matches played. Over his illustrious career at the club, he lifted a staggering 34 trophies, cementing his legacy as not only Barcelona’s greatest-ever player but also one of football’s all-time legends.

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