Former Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez has revealed that club president Joan Laporta was solely responsible for blocking Lionel Messi’s highly anticipated return to Camp Nou. Xavi’s comments, made in an interview with La Vanguardia, definitively end speculation about the Argentine legend rejoining his former club.
“Leo Messi is never coming back to Barcelona, because Laporta doesn’t want that,” Xavi stated, attributing the decision to the club president. This contradicts earlier theories that financial fair play rules or Messi’s salary demands were the primary obstacles.
Xavi’s remarks highlight a deep and seemingly irreparable rift between Laporta and Messi. The president had also overseen Messi’s tearful departure in August 2021, citing financial difficulties at the time. Messi subsequently moved to Paris Saint-Germain and now plays for Inter Miami in MLS.
The revelation from Xavi confirms fans’ fears: the dream of Messi retiring in a Barcelona shirt is now definitively over under Laporta’s leadership.
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