The prospects of Lionel Messi’s return to Barcelona as a player are “unrealistic”, says the Spanish club’s president Joan Laporta.

Laporta’s comments, on Wednesday, came three days after the Argentinian, one of Barcelona’s all-time football greats, returned to the Catalan club on an unannounced visit and expressed his desire to “return one day”.

The 38-year-old made a surprise appearance at Barca’s Camp Nou stadium on Sunday night and said he hoped “one day I can return, and not just to say goodbye as a player, as I never got to do”.

Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi, Barca’s record goal scorer (672 goals) and appearance maker (778 caps), left for Paris Saint-Germain in 2021 after spending 21 years of his illustrious career with Barcelona.

Having won 10 La Liga titles, four Champions League crowns and three Club World Cups with Barca, Messi now plays for Inter Miami.

His shock exit came due to Barcelona’s precarious financial position, which meant the team could not afford to keep him.

Messi shed tears at his final press conference at the club he joined at 13 years of age and where he began his professional career.

“Out of the utmost respect for Messi, the professionals at the club, Barca, and the Barca club members, I believe that now, for me to make speculation that is unrealistic, nor do I think is fair, well, I believe that is not appropriate,” Laporta told Catalunya Radio.

The club president, who was in charge at the time of Messi’s departure, said he did not regret what happened because “Barca is above everything”.

Advertisement

Barca reopened the Camp Nou on Friday, 895 days after its closure, unveiling a revamped stadium by staging an open training session attended by 21,795 fans.

“Last night, I returned to a place that I miss with all my heart. A place where I was immensely happy, where you made me feel a thousand times like the happiest person in the world,” Messi wrote on Instagram on Monday, then expressing the hope that “one day I can return”.

Messi extended his contract with Inter Miami in October, and has previously said that the Major League Soccer club in the United States would likely be his last.

“You’re always welcome at your home, Leo,” Barca posted on X.

Laporta confirmed he would love to hold a match in homage to Messi’s career at the rebuilt Camp Nou, once it is fully open.

“Things didn’t end the way we would have liked … if, in some way, this tribute can make up for what wasn’t done, I think it would be a good thing,” explained Laporta.

“It would be right that he has the best tribute [match] in the world, and it would be wonderful to have it here, in front of 105,000 fans,” he continued.

The club president said Inter Miami forward Messi’s surprise visit to the stadium on Sunday was a “spontaneous” display of his love for the club.

Messi is currently in Spain with the Argentina national team, where they are training before a friendly match against Angola.