Xavi opens the door to Lionel Messi Barcelona return

Robin Bairner

• 30 Nov 2022 14:07 GMT
• 3 min read

Barcelona head coach Xavi has indicated that Lionel Messi is welcome to return to the club should he wish.

Messi departed Barca at the end of his previous contract in the summer of 2021 and joined PSG, where he is currently thriving in Ligue 1.

The Argentine, however, is out of contract at the end of the season and could leave France, with Inter Miami hotly tipped to complete a move for the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner.

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Messi is adamant that he will not consider his future until after the conclusion of the 2022 World Cup, where he is presently staring for Argentina.

Xavi, though, would love to see his former team-mate back at Barcelona.

In quote relayed by Mundo Deportivo he replied when asked if he woud like Messi back at the club: “If he wants, for sure he can come back. Why wouldn't I want him to come? For me, he is still the best football player in the world.”

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The Messi reality for Barcelona

Although Xavi is putting a brave face on the situation, he will know that the prospects of Barcelona re-signing Messi are slim due to the club’s financial position. Indeed, the player would only return out of an act of charity as he would have to take an enormous pay cut.

This was effectively confirmed by Barcelona president Joan Laporta.

"On Thursday [24 November] we received confirmation that our salary margin would be even more restrictive than before," he said. "We're going to meet our budget of earning €274 million but that won't count towards financial fair play rules. They should review it because it doesn't make any sense.”

Despite Laporta’s protestations, Barcelona find themselves once again in a financial bind and this is liable to thwart any hopes of signing Messi that they might have had.