Xavi: “Lionel Messi will never return to Barça”

The former FC Barcelona coach, Xavi Hernández, has closed the door on a potential return of Lionel Messi to Catalonia. In an interview given to the Spanish daily La Vanguardia, the former Blaugrana midfielder stated that the club president, Joan Laporta, did not envisage bringing the Argentine legend back to Camp Nou. “ Leo Messi will never return to Barcelona, because Laporta does not want him,” Xavi said.

The former Barcelona coach also wished to clarify certain points around the departure of the Flea. According to him, neither La Liga nor the player’s entourage prevented a potential return, particularly on the financial side. As a reminder, Messi left Barça in August 2021, after negotiations over a contract extension broke down. Forced to part ways with his star for economic and regulatory reasons, the Catalan club had then seen its captain leave on a free transfer. The Argentine World Cup-winning captain then joined Paris Saint-Germain before continuing his career in the United States with Inter Miami CF, in Major League Soccer