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Former Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez has accused club president Joan Laporta of deliberately blocking Lionel Messi's potential return to the club in 2023, claiming the deal was essentially finalized before Laporta intervened.
Xavi emphasized that La Liga had approved, Messi wanted the move, and everything was set for a "Last Dance" farewell at the club, until Laporta allegedly pulled the plug. He directly refuted long-standing excuses about finances or Messi's camp demanding excessive wages, calling them fabrications and insisting the real reason was Laporta's fear of a power struggle or "war" with the Argentine legend's dominating influence at the club.
Xavi reveals why Lionel Messi will 'never' return to Camp Nou
In an explosive interview with La Vanguardia published just days before Barcelona's presidential elections, Xavi stated that Messi was eager to rejoin after winning the 2022 World Cup, with negotiations progressing through March 2023. He said:
“Leo Messi is never returning to Barcelona simply because Laporta doesn’t want that”.
The formr headcoach said:
“It not because of La Liga or Jorge Messi is asking for money, that’s all a lie.”
Xavi added:
“It’s Laporta who is telling his camp that the club can’t afford him”.
Xavi detailed how he personally contacted Messi post-World Cup, received positive signals of enthusiasm, and coordinated with Messi's father, Jorge, on contract terms. According to him, Laporta initially engaged in talks but later told him explicitly that Inter Miami star’s presence would threaten his authority, prompting him to abandon the agreement. This decision reportedly caused a temporary rift, with Messi stopping communication for a time after receiving conflicting messages from the club's side.
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