Barcelona have been plunged into fresh controversy after former coach Xavi claimed that Lionel Messi had been on the verge of returning to the club in 2023 before president Joan Laporta pulled the plug on the move. The remarks, made in an interview with La Vanguardia, have caused major debate in Spain at a sensitive time for the Catalan club.
According to Xavi, Messi was eager to return to Barcelona after winning the World Cup with Argentina and discussions had already advanced significantly. He said he personally contacted the Argentine forward, who expressed his desire to come back, while Messi’s father, Jorge, reportedly held talks with Laporta over the financial terms of the deal. Xavi also claimed that the operation had received approval from LaLiga before the move was ultimately blocked.
The most explosive part of Xavi’s account was his allegation that Laporta withdrew because he feared internal problems within the club. Xavi said he was told that Messi’s return could trigger a wage battle in the dressing room and create a difficult internal situation that Barcelona could not afford to manage. He added that, after the move collapsed, Messi stopped answering his phone calls.
Laporta has strongly denied that version of events. The Barcelona president insisted Messi’s move back to Camp Nou did not break down because of the club, but because the player and his family chose Inter Miami for personal and sporting reasons. Laporta said a proposal had been made, but the final decision went in another direction.
There has also been disagreement over Xavi’s suggestion that LaLiga had already approved the operation. LaLiga president Javier Tebas reportedly rejected that claim, adding further confusion to a story that has quickly become one of the biggest talking points in Spanish football.
The timing of the revelations has only added to the tension. Barcelona have confirmed that Laporta and Víctor Font are the two candidates in the club’s presidential election, with the vote scheduled for 15 March 2026. That has turned Xavi’s comments into more than just a story about Messi, as they now also feed directly into the political battle over who should lead the club forward.
What is clear is that Xavi’s interview has reopened old wounds around Messi’s departure and Barcelona’s handling of one of the greatest players in the club’s history. Whether the truth lies closer to Xavi’s version or Laporta’s denial, the latest episode has once again exposed the divisions and uncertainty surrounding the Blaugrana at a crucial moment.
