rewrite this title Barça chief: Lionel Messi return ‘not realistic’

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has said Lionel Messi returning to the club as a player is “not realistic” after the Inter Miami star’s surprise appearance at Spotify Camp Nou this week.

Messi, 38, made an impromptu visit on Sunday to Barça’s stadium, which is still being redeveloped, ahead of joining up with the Argentina squad in Spain.

He later posted the images on social media alongside a caption saying he hoped to “return for the goodbye I never got to say as a player.”

In an interview with Diario Sport, he then reiterated his desire to return to the city in the future, but Laporta has poured water on any hopes of him pulling on the Barça shirt competitively one more time.

“His departure wasn’t as we wanted,” Laporta told Catalunya Radio when asked about a hypothetical Messi return. “But out of the utmost respect for Messi and everyone at the club, for me to feed speculation that is not realistic is not appropriate.”

Laporta admitted to being as surprised as everyone else about Messi unexpectedly turning up at Camp Nou on Sunday.

The club’s record goal scorer arrived unannounced, along with club and international teammate Rodrigo de Paul, and was let in by the security staff.

It was the first time he had returned to the stadium since his hasty exit to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021 and Laporta hopes it will serve as the first step towards organising a tribute match for him when the refurbishment is completely finished.

– Why Yamal’s injury is causing tension between Spain and Barcelona- Are you not entertained? Why Barcelona are Europe’s best watch- MLS Cup playoffs Round 1 talking points: Messi, favorites move on

“I didn’t know he was coming, but Camp Nou is his home,” Laporta said. “They told me what happened. It was a nice gesture. He had just finished dinner and felt like coming with some friends. It was a spontaneous act in the spirt of Barcelona.

“It’s only fair that Leo should have the most beautiful tribute in the world. When the stadium is finished, we’ll have a capacity of 105,000 fans, so we’d like that.”

Messi spent over 20 years in Barcelona and 17 seasons in the first team, scoring 672 goals in 778 appearances and winning 34 trophies, including 10 LaLiga titles and four Champions Leagues.

He left for PSG in 2021, before joining Inter Miami in 2023. He recently signed a contract extension to extend his stay at the Florida club until the end of the 2028 MLS season, when he will be 41.