Due to this character, Messi could not return to Barcelona.

Recent revelations from former FC Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez are causing a stir in the world football community.

In a notable interview ahead of the club's presidential election, the Spanish strategist stated that President Joan Laporta was the one who directly blocked the deal to bring Lionel Messi back to Barcelona in 2023, even though La Liga had approved the plan.

According to Xavi's sharing with Spanish media, shortly after winning the 2022 World Cup with Argentina in Qatar, Lionel Messi seriously considered the possibility of returning to Barcelona. “Leo was almost ready to sign the contract. After winning the World Cup, we contacted him and he was very excited about returning. I told him that when he agreed, I would inform the president because professionally this was a very good deal.”- Xavi shared.

Xavi even envisioned a beautiful ending for the Argentine legend at Camp Nou. He called it Messi's “Last Dance” in Barcelona colors, similar to the famous story of basketball legend Michael Jordan. For many months, exchanges between the two sides progressed positively. According to Xavi, Messi showed enthusiasm for the prospect of returning to the place that made his name. Notably, Barcelona had also received financial approval from La Liga to proceed with the deal.

However, when everything seemed ready, the deal unexpectedly collapsed. In the interview, Xavi revealed that President Joan Laporta himself decided to halt the entire negotiation process at the last minute. According to Xavi, Laporta once told him that if Messi returned to Barcelona, the Argentine superstar would “start a war” with him. Precisely because of that reason, Laporta did not want this deal to happen.

After the unexpected decision from Barcelona's leadership, Messi suddenly stopped communicating with Xavi. When the former Barcelona coach called Jorge Messi to inquire, he only received advice to discuss directly with the club president.

Finally, when his contract with Paris Saint-Germain ended in summer 2023, Lionel Messi opted to join Inter Miami CF in the MLS, instead of returning to Barcelona as millions of fans had hoped. Xavi also admitted that this story once strained the relationship between him and Lionel Messi. The Argentine superstar initially thought Xavi was involved in the cancellation of the deal.

It took quite a long time for the two to speak again. However, Xavi affirmed that all misunderstandings have been resolved and their relationship has now returned to normal. The former Barcelona coach also believes that the possibility of Messi returning to his former club in the near future is almost nonexistent.

According to Xavi, Messi's inability to reunite with Barcelona was not due to financial issues or La Liga regulations, but simply because Laporta did not want it to happen. Not limited to the Messi story, Xavi also issued many criticisms targeting Barcelona's leadership. He claimed he had received assurances from Laporta about a long-term future at the club, but was ultimately dismissed in 2024.