The secret behind Messi's decision not to return to Barcelona.

Two years after Lionel Messi left Paris Saint-Germain to join Inter Miami, the story of why the Argentine superstar hasn't returned to Barcelona is far from over. New statements from Xavi and former sporting director Mateu Alemany are once again making the matter a hot topic in Spain.

Xavi's accusations, Laporta retaliates.

In a recent interview, Xavi confirmed that the plan to bring Messi back to Camp Nou in 2023 was very close to completion. According to the former Barcelona coach, the team was then preparing all options to re-sign the greatest player in the club's history after he left PSG.

However, Xavi claims the deal was halted by a decision from President Joan Laporta. He revealed that Laporta feared Messi could create a power struggle within the club, which led to the abandonment of the reunion plan.

“Messi isn’t returning because the president doesn’t want him to. It’s not because of La Liga or because Jorge Messi is demanding more money,” Xavi said. According to him, reports suggesting that financial barriers prevented Barcelona from signing Messi are inaccurate.

Xavi revealed that he once wanted to bring Messi back to Barcelona.

Xavi's statement quickly attracted attention, especially since Mateu Alemany, Barcelona's Director of Football at the time, also spoke out. In a conversation with Movistar+, Alemany said the club had received signals that La Liga had approved the plan to sign Messi.

"Xavi is right. We were informed that La Liga had approved it," Alemany confirmed.

Alemany's confirmation makes the story even more sensitive, as it raises serious questions about Laporta's role in the deal.

Following these accusations, Laporta immediately spoke out to deny them. The Barcelona president stated that Xavi's comments did not reflect the reality.

According to Laporta, the biggest problem is that Messi and his father, Jorge Messi, never gave their final consent for a return to Camp Nou. While Barcelona was presenting their financial plan to La Liga for the transfer, Messi's side remained silent.

“What we didn’t have was Messi’s approval. Jorge Messi remained silent and then informed us that they had decided to go to Inter Miami,” Laporta said.

However, Xavi said that President Laporta had dashed Messi's hopes of returning to Barcelona.

The Barcelona president also suggested that Xavi's statement was influenced by personal resentment, following his dismissal from the club's coaching position in 2024. Furthermore, Laporta implied that his political rival in the presidential election, Víctor Font, had exploited this situation to exert pressure.

"Xavi's opinion is influenced by dissatisfaction. When emotions get involved, the truth is no longer complete," Laporta asserted.

Laporta also emphasized that La Liga had never given official approval for the transfer. This view was supported by La Liga President Javier Tebas, who stated that Barcelona had not even contacted the league organizers directly to register Messi.

Messi once wanted to return.

While various parties have put forward different versions, Messi himself has repeatedly admitted that he seriously considered returning to Barcelona in 2023. In interviews with Mundo Deportivo and SPORT at the time, the Argentine superstar said he was excited about the idea of ​​reuniting with the team he had been with for over two decades.

However, Messi also admitted he doesn't want to find himself in a similar situation to 2021, when he was forced to leave Barcelona due to the club's financial problems.

"I would love to come back, but after what I went through when I left in 2021, I don't want to wait and see what happens and let my future depend on others," Messi shared.

Messi is currently playing for Inter Miami.

Leo said he heard that La Liga had approved his return plan, but there were still many issues to resolve. Barcelona would then have to sell players or reduce their wage bill in order to sign a new contract.

Messi admitted he didn't want the club to be put in a difficult position just to bring him back.

"I heard that Barcelona have to sell players or reduce the salaries of many. Honestly, I don't want that to happen," he said.

The fact that this story has been brought up again at a time when Barcelona is preparing for a new presidential election shows that politics still plays a significant role within the Catalan club.

Messi left Camp Nou in 2021, but his influence remains immense with Barcelona fans. Any controversy surrounding the club's inability to retain him or bring him back could severely impact the image of the club's management.

Two years after Messi chose Inter Miami, the question of why Barcelona's greatest legend couldn't return to Camp Nou remains unanswered. And perhaps, given what's happening, this story will continue to be debated for many more years.