Barcelona president Joan Laporta hints at Lionel Messi return

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has dropped a huge hint that Lionel Messi could return to the club in the future.

Speaking to ESPN, Barcelona president Joan Laporta has claimed that Lionel Messi’s ‘chapter’ at the club is still ‘not over’ hinting that the Argentine legend could return to Camp Nou in the future.

The entire footballing world was shocked when Barcelona confirmed last year that they will be unable to renew Messi’s contract. The 35-year-old left the Blaugrana after 21 years at the club, joining Paris Saint-Germain on a two-year deal with an option for another twelve months.

Messi had a slow start to life in Paris but eventually found his bearings in the second half of the campaign, helping PSG win the Ligue 1 title last season. But ever since he has left the club, a return to Barcelona has been speculated.

While Laporta has previously stated that such an operation is not on the club’s agenda at the time, he has now claimed that Messi’s chapter at Barcelona is not over yet.

“Messi was everything,” Laporta said. “To Barca, he’s been possibly its greatest player, the most efficient. To me he’s only comparable to Johan Cruyff. But it had to happen one day. We had to make a decision as a consequence of what we inherited. The institution is in charge of players, coaches.

“I would hope that the Messi chapter isn’t over. I think it’s our responsibility to try to … find a moment to fix that chapter, which is still open and hasn’t closed, so it turns out like it should have, and that it has a more beautiful ending.”

The president of the Catalan club further added: “As president of Barca, I did what I had to do. But also as president of Barca, and on a personal level, I think I owe him.”

The Blaugrana are in a better position financially than they were last year when they could not hold on to Messi. And with the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner in the final year of his contract at PSG, he could be primed for a surprise return to Barcelona in the summer of next year.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has dropped a huge hint that Lionel Messi could return to the club in the future.

Speaking to ESPN, Barcelona president Joan Laporta has claimed that Lionel Messi’s ‘chapter’ at the club is still ‘not over’ hinting that the Argentine legend could return to Camp Nou in the future.

The entire footballing world was shocked when Barcelona confirmed last year that they will be unable to renew Messi’s contract. The 35-year-old left the Blaugrana after 21 years at the club, joining Paris Saint-Germain on a two-year deal with an option for another twelve months.

Messi had a slow start to life in Paris but eventually found his bearings in the second half of the campaign, helping PSG win the Ligue 1 title last season. But ever since he has left the club, a return to Barcelona has been speculated.

While Laporta has previously stated that such an operation is not on the club’s agenda at the time, he has now claimed that Messi’s chapter at Barcelona is not over yet.

“Messi was everything,” Laporta said. “To Barca, he’s been possibly its greatest player, the most efficient. To me he’s only comparable to Johan Cruyff. But it had to happen one day. We had to make a decision as a consequence of what we inherited. The institution is in charge of players, coaches.

“I would hope that the Messi chapter isn’t over. I think it’s our responsibility to try to … find a moment to fix that chapter, which is still open and hasn’t closed, so it turns out like it should have, and that it has a more beautiful ending.”

The president of the Catalan club further added: “As president of Barca, I did what I had to do. But also as president of Barca, and on a personal level, I think I owe him.”

The Blaugrana are in a better position financially than they were last year when they could not hold on to Messi. And with the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner in the final year of his contract at PSG, he could be primed for a surprise return to Barcelona in the summer of next year.