Former Xavi Hernández has claimed that Joan Laporta blocked Lionel Messi from returning to FC Barcelona in 2023 because he feared it could trigger a power struggle within the club.
Messi, an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, left Barcelona in 2021 and joined Paris Saint‑Germain F.C. before eventually signing with Inter Miami CF in 2023.
In an interview with Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia, Xavi revealed that shortly after Messi helped Argentina win the 2022 World Cup, discussions began about bringing the club legend back to Camp Nou.
According to Xavi, the move had progressed significantly, with both sporting and financial aspects reportedly approved by La Liga. However, he alleged that Laporta ultimately stopped the transfer despite the preparations.
Xavi said the Barcelona president told him directly that Messi’s return could create conflict inside the club and that he could not allow such a situation to develop. He added that after the decision was made, Messi suddenly stopped responding to his calls because he had been informed the move would not go ahead.
The former Barcelona manager explained that the club had hoped for a memorable final chapter for Messi at the team — something he compared to Michael Jordan’s famous “Last Dance.”
Laporta, however, rejected Xavi’s version of events. He said Messi’s father and agent, Jorge Messi, informed him that the Argentine star eventually decided not to return to Barcelona because of the intense pressure that would come with the move.
Messi remains Barcelona’s greatest-ever goalscorer with 672 goals and won 34 trophies during his time at the club.
Laporta also revealed that Barcelona reportedly rejected a €250 million offer from PSG for teenage sensation Lamine Yamal during the 2024 summer transfer window.