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Laporta Rules Out Messi Playing Return to Barcelona After Surprise Camp Nou Visit

Barcelona now favors tributes over a playing reunion, citing Messi’s Inter Miami contract.

Overview

  • Barcelona president Joan Laporta said a Messi comeback as a player is not realistic, noting his current Inter Miami deal and the club’s forward-looking project.
  • Lionel Messi said he plans to return to Barcelona as a supporter in the future and reiterated his commitment to remain in Miami for the coming years.
  • The club is preparing a statue for Messi at the renovated Spotify Camp Nou, while vice-president Elena Fort rejected renaming the stadium after him.
  • Presidential candidate Víctor Font vowed to call Messi if elected and criticized Laporta’s past use of the star’s image during campaigns.
  • Media reports cited internal projections of major commercial gains from any hypothetical short-term return, but outlets stress there are no talks or formal offers.