Barcelona president Joan Laporta on Wednesday dismissed as “unrealistic” any prospect of Lionel Messi rejoining the club as an active player, pouring cold water on speculation sparked by the Argentine icon’s emotional visit to the revamped Camp Nou last week.
The 37-year-old, who left Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain in 2021 amid crippling financial woes that scuttled his contract renewal, has since thrived with Inter Miami, signing a fresh deal through 2028 that includes an ownership stake. Messi’s poignant Instagram post from the stadium — where he confessed to missing the venue “with all my heart” and hoped to “return, and not just to say goodbye as a player” — ignited fan dreams of a fairy-tale homecoming.
Yet Laporta, speaking ahead of the Champions League clash with Red Star Belgrade, stressed the impracticality, saying: “It’s unrealistic to think about Leo coming back to play. We have to be realistic and not speculate about things that are not realistic.” He reflected on the bitter 2021 parting, adding: “Leo’s time at the club ended in a way that was not satisfactory for anyone, especially because we could not renew his contract due to the economic situation.”
The Blaugrana chief, who helmed Messi’s youth academy integration two decades ago, pivoted to brighter horizons, pledging a grand farewell once the €1.5 billion stadium upgrade wraps in 2026. “When the Camp Nou reopens, we will organise the best tribute in the world for Leo, with 105,000 people,” Laporta vowed, envisioning a spectacle to honour the club’s all-time leading scorer of 672 goals across 778 outings — a haul that clinched 10 La Liga crowns and four Champions Leagues.
Messi’s Barcelona legacy, forged from age 13, remains untarnished, but Laporta’s words signal closure on the pitch while opening doors to ceremonial glory, leaving Cules to cherish echoes of genius amid the club’s resurgence under Hansi Flick.
