FC Barcelona Open Door To Lionel Messi Return

FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta has opened the door to club legend Lionel Messi returning to the Camp Nou.

Messi was last seen at the iconic stadium last summer when giving a tearful farewell speech from its auditorium on the verge of joining Paris Saint Germain.

On Barca’s books since joining them as a shy 12-year-old from Argentina, Messi’s contract was allowed to expire on June 30, 2021 as the Catalans then struggled to navigate La Liga’s strict salary cap and offer him a new deal due to their debts.

Barca had to admit defeat and release the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, who then rocked up at Paris Saint Germain on a two-year contract.

Though winning Ligue 1 in his first season, Messi has had a difficult time adapting in the French capital but will apparently honor the terms he agreed with the Qatari-backed giants and head to the World Cup with Argentina as their player.

In an interview with ESPN, however, Barca president Joan Laporta spoke on Messi and left the door open to his return to Catalonia.

“Messi has been everything, for Barca he has possibly been the best player in history, the most efficient, only comparable to Johan Cruyff in the history of Barca,” said Laporta on the verge of his club’s 1-0 win over Real Madrid in Las Vegas.

“But it had to happen one day, we had to make a decision as a consequence of the legacy we had received,” Laporta explained in relation to the rule of his predecessor Josep Bartomeu.

“The institution is above players and coaches, but I think, I wish, that the Messi chapter is not over yet at Barca and I think our responsibility is to ensure that this open chapter, which has not yet been closed, has a good moment in which it can be done as it should have been done and, in addition, has a much more splendid ending than it had”.

Laporta then confessed that “morally” speaking, he has a debt to settle with Messi for the way he left.

“As the president of Barca, I think I did what I had to do. But on a personal level and also as president, I think I owe him,” Laporta concluded.