• Secrets of “betrayal” or financial barriers?

Even two years after Argentine legend Lionel Messi settled at Inter Miami, controversy continues to swirl around Camp Nou.

In a surprising development, leaked statements from former coach Xavi Hernández and former sporting director Mateu Alemany have reopened the “failed return” chapter of Messi in 2023, directly pointing the finger at club president Joan Laporta.

Xavi’s Account: “Laporta Blocked the Return”

Xavi dropped a bombshell, asserting that Messi’s return to Barcelona was personally blocked by Laporta, not due to La Liga’s financial restrictions as previously suggested.

Xavi claimed the Catalan president feared a “power struggle” in the dressing room if Messi returned, saying: “Messi didn’t come back because the president didn’t want him. The financial reports were just a cover.”

Mateu Alemany reinforced this account in an interview with Movistar+, confirming that the club had received positive signals from La Liga approving the financial feasibility plan, meaning the main obstacle was not legal.

Laporta Responds: “Personal Grievances Distort the Truth”

Joan Laporta quickly denied the accusations in full, describing Xavi’s comments as the “result of personal frustration” following his dismissal in 2024.

Laporta explained that the club had done everything possible, but Messi and his father Jorge chose to remain silent before informing the club of the decision to move to Miami.

Javier Tebas, president of La Liga, partially supported Laporta’s position, noting that Barcelona never submitted a final official registration request for Messi, suggesting a communication gap at the critical final moments.

Messi’s Stand: “I Didn’t Want a Repeat of the 2021 Nightmare”

Amid the conflicting accounts, Messi’s own words remain clear. He admitted he wanted to return but refused to leave his future in others’ hands or force the club to sell teammates and reduce salaries to make room for him.

Messi said at the time: “I don’t want to wait and see what happens like in 2021… I don’t want to put the club in a difficult position because of me.”

Politics and Elections: The Hidden Driver

Reopening this issue comes at a sensitive time, coinciding with preparations for Barcelona’s next presidential elections. Observers note that the political opposition, led by Víctor Font, seeks to exploit the “Messi card” to destabilize Laporta’s current administration, confirming that the Messi-Barcelona story has never been just about football—it is a complex mix of emotions, politics, and money.