Barcelona legend Lionel Messi made a surprise late-night visit to Camp Nou. According to the newspaper Sport, the Inter Miami star didn’t inform the Catalan club of his visit at all, reflecting his strained relationship with Joan Laporta’s administration.
Messi visited the still-under-renovation Camp Nou late Sunday night, taking advantage of the Argentine national team’s training camp in Alicante, preparing for a friendly match in Angola on Friday, November 14th.
While Barcelona had announced that they were aware of Messi’s visit, the truth is that the Argentine star hadn’t informed anyone. He simply went to the stadium and was immediately granted entry by security personnel without needing permission from the Barcelona management or any other party.
This move left the Barcelona management stunned, but Laporta wanted to avoid any problems with Messi and also avoid appearing angry in front of the fans. Therefore, he announced that there had been prior coordination between the two parties, even though this hadn’t actually happened.
Messi wrote a touching message that went viral on social media, expressing his hope to return to Camp Nou, not just to bid it farewell as a player. He added that this stadium was where he felt the happiest man in the world.
Barcelona then posted pictures of the 37-year-old at Camp Nou with the caption, “Welcome home, Leo.”
Messi renewed his contract with Inter Miami until the end of 2028, and it now seems unlikely that he will return for a “final dance” with Barcelona before the end of his career, unless he joins the Blaugrana on loan during the US international breaks from November to March. This is unlikely with Laporta at the helm due to his strained relationship with the Argentine legend’s entourage.
