Xavi Claims Laporta Pulled the Plug on Messi Return as Barcelona Boss Faces Accusation of Dishonesty

Lionel Messi's fairytale homecoming to Barcelona never materialised because club president Joan Laporta got cold feet, according to Xavi – and the former manager has now gone public with his version of events.

The Argentina icon was reportedly ready to make a sensational return on loan from Inter Miami in early 2023, fresh off his World Cup triumph. Messi had even paid a surprise visit to Camp Nou in December, posting on social media about missing the place "with all my heart" and expressing hope he could return before hanging up his boots.

Behind the scenes, though, Xavi insists a deal was genuinely on the table. Speaking to La Vanguardia, the ex-Barcelona boss revealed that he and Laporta had initiated negotiations with Messi and his father, with La Liga having already given the green light. Messi, Xavi claims, was keen to make it happen.

The stumbling block? Laporta's sudden change of heart. According to Xavi, the president worried that bringing Messi back would spark a wage war the club couldn't handle financially. That nervousness proved decisive – Laporta withdrew from the deal, leaving Messi's camp confused and eventually leading the player to stop answering calls.

"My interest is to tell the truth," Xavi stated bluntly, "which is that Messi is never returning to Barcelona simply because Laporta doesn't want that – it's not because of La Liga or Jorge Messi asking for money, that's all a lie."

The accusation directly contradicts Laporta's public stance. In December, the Barcelona president told RTVE Catalunya that he remained "willing to fix anything" with the Messi camp and spoke fondly of the club's history with their greatest ever player. Laporta described Messi's era at Barcelona as "one of the most glorious periods in Barca's history, if not the most," and insisted the Argentine deserved "a tribute, a statue, full recognition."

Messi's Barcelona legacy speaks for itself: ten La Liga titles, seven Copa del Reys, seven Spanish Super Cups, four Champions Leagues, three UEFA Super Cups, and three FIFA Club World Cups. Across 976 club appearances, he scored 795 goals, while adding 115 in 196 appearances for Argentina. His eight Ballon d'Or awards underline his status among football's all-time greats.

For now, though, Messi remains in Miami, and any romantic return to Catalonia appears to belong to the realm of fantasy – at least while Laporta holds the keys to the Camp Nou.