Xavi: Signing Messi is impossible
FT Desk
- Updated: 26 Jul 2022 11:22 BST
- 3 min read
Barcelona manager Xavi has labelled the chances of signing Lionel Messi as “impossible”.
Rumours have been rife over the past few days that Messi could be set to return to the club either this summer or, more likely, next year when his contract at PSG expires.
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Barcelona president Joan Laporta remarked at the weekend that he owes Messi for the way in which he left last year and hinted at bringing him back.
What did Xavi say?
“I think, I wish, that the Messi chapter is not over yet at Barça and I think our responsibility is to ensure that this open chapter, which has not yet been closed, has a good moment in which it can be done as it should have been done and, in addition, has a much more splendid ending than it had,” Laporta said.
"As the president of Barça, I think I did what I had to do. But on a personal level and also as president, I think I owe him."
There were then further reports at the beginning of the week that Barcelona manager Xavi had specifically requested the signing of Messi.
Xavi has now played down this talk.
“At the moment, signing Leo Messi is impossible,” Xavi told the press ahead of Barcelona’s friendly against Juventus at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.
“He has a contract with Paris. It’s not the time to talk about him.”
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Messi completed a shock Free Transfer to PSG last summer after he was unable to sign a new contract with Barcelona.
Messi endured a difficult first season in Paris, scoring just four Ligue 1 goals all campaign and performing poorly as PSG were dumped out of the Champions League – capitulating from 2-0 up on aggregate to lose 3-2 to Real Madrid in the last-16.
The Argentine legend broke virtually every record during over 20 years at Camp Nou, scoring an incredible 672 goals in 778 games.
