"In 2023, everything was ready, but..." - Xavi admits Messi was one step away from returning to Barcelona
Kenley Ward
Dailysports's expert
Xavi believes Laporta is to blame for it all.
Details: In a recent interview on Romário’s podcast, the 46-year-old former player and head coach of Catalan giants Barcelona, Xavi, confessed that in 2023 Messi was extremely close to making his return to the club.
Although all parties had reached an agreement, Barcelona’s president personally put a stop to Leo’s comeback:
“In 2023, we tried to bring Messi back to Barça. We negotiated for five months, everything was ready... but in the end, the president said ‘no,’ and the deal fell through,” Xavi revealed.
Lionel Messi played for Barcelona from 2004 to 2021. He made 778 appearances for the Blaugrana, scoring 672 goals and providing 303 assists. In the summer of 2021, Messi joined PSG as a free agent.
Reminder: Messi or Ronaldo? Manchester United star names the best player in the world
