Laporta explains why Messi’s Barcelona return failed
Robin Bairner
- Updated: 29 Jul 2023 09:23 BST
- 3 min read
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has detailed why the club’s summer move for Lionel Messi feel through.
Messi was a free agent after departing PSG at the end of his contract and had three primary options: go back to Barcelona, join long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo in the Saudi Pro League, where Al-Hilal were pushing to sign him, or move to David Beckham’s Inter Miami franchise in MLS.
The World Cup winner plumped for the latter of these three options and has started spectacularly in the US, where he has netted three goals and generated one assist in under two hours of competitive football.
MORE: Messi disappointment as Inter Miami transfer falls through... for now
He could have taken a very different path, though, with Laporta stating that Barcelona had an agreement in place only for Messi to turn them down for a very logical reason.
Asked by ESPN why the transfer never happened, the Barcelona president said: “It was very close. We had to manage our financial fair play situation so we needed time.
“At the end, we reached an agreement with La Liga that authorised us to add him to the squad. But Leo was coming from a situation in Paris where he was under a lot of pressure. His father told me that he needed a place where he won't be under pressure and at Barca that would not be the case because of the meaning of the return of our hero.”
MORE: Barcelona to make SEVEN signings after financial injection
Why Messi picked Inter Miami ahead of Barcelona
Messi would have been under huge pressure to perform in Barcelona, where he is a legend having spearheaded the club at the top of European football for more than a decade.
The 35-year-old is Barcelona’s all-time leading scorer, assist maker and appearance maker, and there would have been an expectation for him to be at his very peak even late in his career.
Messi made the move to Inter Miami to get away from such a spotlight.
