Former Barcelona head coach Xavi Hernandez has alleged that club president Joan Laporta halted plans to bring Lionel Messi back to the club in 2023 to avoid an internal power struggle. Xavi said the move was stopped despite financial clearance and the player’s willingness to return. Laporta has since disputed the claim.
Messi departed FC Barcelona in 2021 for Paris Saint-Germain before joining Major League Soccer side Inter Miami CF two years later. Xavi stated that discussions resumed in January 2023 shortly after Argentina’s World Cup triumph, adding that the forward indicated interest in a comeback.
According to Xavi, the club had received financial approval from La Liga to complete the deal. He said Laporta personally rejected the move, warning that Messi’s return could trigger internal conflict at the club’s leadership level. Xavi added that communication with the player later ceased after the plan was abandoned.
The former coach said the technical team had no doubts about Messi’s football value and envisioned a final chapter for the player at the club. He likened the idea to a farewell season similar to that of basketball icon Michael Jordan.
Laporta, who recently stepped down to contest the club’s presidential election, rejected the account and suggested Xavi’s remarks were influenced by disappointment. He said Messi’s father and agent, Jorge Messi, informed him that the player had chosen not to return due to the pressure surrounding the club environment.
Laporta also contrasted the team’s current progress under coach Hansi Flick with results during Xavi’s tenure, stating that performances had improved with the same squad.
Messi remains Barcelona’s all-time leading scorer with 672 goals and won a record 34 trophies during his time at Camp Nou.
In a separate disclosure, Laporta said the club turned down a €250 million offer from Paris Saint-Germain for teenage forward Lamine Yamal. The bid was reportedly made in the summer of 2024.
