Lionel Messi visited the newly reopened Barcelona home ground, Spotify Camp Nou, sharing his thoughts on the visit and hoping to return one day. The Argentine is unarguably considered the greatest Blaugrana legend of all time, having spent the majority of his senior career at the club.
Lionel Messi’s departure from Barcelona remains a heartbreaking one for Culers. In August 2021, Messi was forced to leave his boyhood side as the Catalans were unable to renew his contract owing to financial issues. He went on to join Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) as a free agent before moving to MLS side Inter Miami in 2023. The legendary Argentine represented Barca between 2004 and 2021, recording an astonishing 672 goals and 303 assists in 778 appearances across competitions.
After paying a visit to the renovated Spotify Camp Nou, Lionel Messi took to Instagram to recall how he was the happiest at Barcelona and hoped to return one day. He wrote:
“Last night I returned to a place I miss with my soul. A place where I was immensely happy, where you guys made me feel a thousand times the happiest person in the world. I hope one day I can come back, and not just to say goodbye as a player, as I never got to.”
Messi’s final game in blaugrana colors was a 2-1 loss to Celta Vigo at the Camp Nou in LaLiga in May 2021. The legendary Argentine was unaware that the club would be unable to renew his contract at that time, which was reportedly only communicated to him in August by President Joan Laporta.
As a result, Messi never got the farewell he deserved, especially since his abrupt departure came during the COVID-19 pandemic, in an empty Camp Nou.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta claims he’d love to hold a farewell match for Lionel Messi at the Camp Nou
In an interview via Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona president Joan Laporta shared that he would love to host a farewell match for Lionel Messi at the newly renovated Spotify Camp Nou. The Catalans’ home ground shut down for renovation in May 2023, before partially reopening this month. The stadium had its first training session on November 7. Laporta said (via Sempre Barca):
“Of course I’d like to inaugurate the stadium with a tribute to Messi, it would be a beautiful way to inaugurate the stadium. It depends on whether they want it, but that won’t be until the end of 2026. There will be elections, and I don’t know who the president will be, but I’d be delighted to honour Leo here.”
Over the years, Lionel Messi has often expressed an intention to return to his boyhood side. After winning the 2023 Ballon d’Or, the Argentine said he would be happy to return for a farewell game.
“I think there was a strange feeling when I left. It’s not good with everything we shared and lived together. I deserve to be able to say goodbye to people. Barcelona is my home, I love the club and the people. If it [tribute game] happens, I would be happy to be there,” he said (via ESPN)
It remains to be seen if Messi can return to Barca in any way possible, which could give the perfect conclusion to his glorious career.
Edited by Pratyasha Sarkar
