On Sunday evening, Argentine star Lionel Messi visited the Camp Nou stadium, which is currently undergoing modernization in order to expand its capacity. Messi, a Barcelona legend, helped the Catalan club reach unprecedented heights and helped them win 10 league titles, four Champions League titles and three Club World Cups. He left the club in tears at the end of the 2020-21 season because the Blaugrana’s financial problems did not allow the Argentine to sign a new contract.
After that, Messi went on to play for Paris Saint-Germain in France for two seasons, winning several French league titles and other domestic accolades. After two years with the French giants, the Argentine made the surprise decision to join MLS side and David Beckham’s club Inter Miami.
“Last night I returned to a place that I miss in my soul. The place where I was so happy, where you made me feel a thousand times the happiest person in the world. I hope to return one day, and not just to say goodbye as a player, as I never did…” Messi wrote on his Instagram account on Sunday with a photo of himself at Camp Nou. “You are always welcome home Leo,” Barcelona posted on X.
Earlier this year, Messi said he was open to returning to Barcelona in 2023 after his contract with Paris Saint-Germain expired.
“I had the intention of returning to Barcelona and being able to return to the place I always wanted to be, but it was not possible again,” Lionel Messi said in an interview with Simplemente Fútbol. Although Messi declined to go into detail, one notable reason could be Barcelona’s difficult financial situation, which was also a major reason for his departure in the first place.
In addition, Messi said: “After that, (choosing a new club) became a family decision. The fact that we won the World Cup also had a big impact. I was clear that I did not want to be in another team in Europe, and I did not want to go to any of them.”
© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
(tags for translation)Lionel Messi
