Barcelona president Joan Laporta has ruled out a loan move for Lionel Messi to the Catalan club during the MLS off-season.
Messi made a surprise appearance at the newly renovated Camp Nou, speaking at length about his love for Barcelona and how he hoped to bid the fans a better farewell than the one he received in 2021.
This immediately led newspapers to speculate about a possible return for Messi between January and April, during the MLS off-season, on loan to Barcelona, for a final farewell in the Catalan club’s shirt.
When asked about the possibility, Laporta categorically replied, “No, that’s an unrealistic scenario.”
He added, “Out of great respect for Messi, the professionals at the club, and the members, I won’t engage in any unrealistic speculation. It’s not appropriate at the moment.”
Regarding Messi’s visit to Camp Nou, Laporta said, “I didn’t know he was coming, but Camp Nou is his home.”
He added, “It’s only fair that Lionel receives the greatest tribute in the world. Once the renovations are complete, the stadium will have a capacity of 105,000, which is what we want.”
He concluded, “We are working on a tribute and on presenting the best football in the world, and as part of that tribute, we want to give Messi the recognition he deserves.”
