Xavi Angry With FC Barcelona Board For Lionel Messi Transfer Talk

FC Barcelona head coach Xavi Hernandez is angry with the club’s board for the way it is publicly discussing the potential return of Lionel Messi, El Confidencial has reported.

Messi, who joined Paris Saint Germain after the Catalans failed to offer him a new contract and navigate Financial Fair Play rules in 2021, becomes a free agent on June 30.

On Friday, Barca vice president Rafa Yuste confirmed that the club has contacted the Messi camp while speaking at a press conference to promote the Barca Academy World Cup.

“Of course I would love for him to come back, for what it could represent at a sporting, social and economic level. We are in contact with them, yes,” Yuste said.

At his own press conference minutes after, ahead of Barca’s clash with Elche in La Liga on Saturday, Xavi attempted to play down the consequential buzz triggered by Yuste’s remarks.

“It is not time to talk about Leo’s return.” Xavi stressed. “I talk to him often, but now is not the time for the benefit of everyone: for the player himself, for the club, for the current squad …”

Xavi concluded his answer by adding: “I wish that he can come back to help us. He’s the best player in the world and in history.”

According to El Confidencial, however, Xavi has been angered by public talk of an approach for Messi and believes that the best way for the club’s higher ups to help his team win titles is to refrain from talking about the Argentine and any other potential signings until the end of the season.

Xavi fears that such an approach can destabilize his side and their short-term goals, at a time when they have already sealed one trophy (the Spanish Super Cup) and have the La Liga crown pretty much tied up while also through to the Copa del Rey semi-finals.

Simultaneously, the Spanish media outlet that carries the report suggests that talking about Messi is an attempt from president Joan Laporta to push attention away from the ‘Caso Negreira’ scandal.

Yet if Xavi really is irritated by the events of the last couple of days, he is not far off the mark to insist that the Blaugrana focuses on securing the domestic treble before revealing behind-the-scenes secrets and thinking out loud.