There are a couple of things FC Barcelona may never be forgiven for by their fans for in the modern era, and both involve Lionel Messi.
The club was run into the ground under former president Josep Maria Bartomeu and major financial difficulties that are still hampering them meant Messi was forced to leave Camp Nou in 2021.
That was strike one.
After a few seasons at Paris Saint-Germain, Messi’s contract expired and he headed into the summer of 2023 with a number of options for his next step. A lucrative offer came in from Saudi Arabia while Barcelona talked the talk but failed to put an offer to the 2022 World Cup winner.
Despite a lot of public claims from president Joan Laporta and manager Xavi that Barça wanted Messi to return, they frequently put the ball in his court and his patience eventually waned, opting to move to the United States with Major League Soccer outfit Inter Miami instead.
For Barça fans, that was strike two. But how did the Blaugrana fail to secure the return of their greatest ever player?
Failing to renew Messi’s contract in 2021
Barcelona debts were spiralling in 2021 as their on-pitch results got worse and worse. The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic hit them hard, while the increasingly erratic financial handling and decision making of then president Bartomeu made things even worse.
Players like Antoine Griezmann and Philippe Coutinho were signed for extraordinary sums all the while Messi’s contract approached its expiry.
Not enough money could be freed up to register a new deal that was already verbally agreed and Messi’s departure was announced in a tearful press conference. PSG was then revealed as his next team, where he’d play alongside Neymar and Kylian Mbappe for two seasons.
Barcelona’s charm offensive in 2023
Messi signed a two-year contract with PSG but never fit fit the mould at Parc des Princes, despite his second season showing improvement after a disappointing first. Barça officials were never too far away from commenting on his future and the likes of Laporta and Xavi started making more noise about a homecoming in 2023.
Laporta claimed Messi would return back in April when asked by Cadena SER and later added he had improved the club’s relationship with the star forward.
He said in May: “We will do everything we can to bring Leo Messi back to Barcelona.
“I have spoken with Messi to address the situation. It was very nice. We have recovered our relationship. Messi wants Barça, he feels this club is his home, but speaking now would do him a disservice.”
Xavi added he would find a way to add Messi into his 2022/23 La Liga title winners, but shortly after said the transfer would depend almost entirely on Messi – despite Barça’s infamous financial difficulties.
He said: “Our fans started to mention Leo Messi’s name at every game…I like the feeling. But trust me, the comeback of Leo Messi only depends on him.
“I’d say that it depends 99% on Messi. I have no doubts on football point of view – it’s up to Leo.”
That ultimatum wasn’t enough to drag Messi back to Camp Nou, as Inter Miami won the transfer battle in early June ahead of Barça and Saudi Arabian team Al-Hilal for his signature.
Barcelona couldn’t free up enough cash in line with La Liga’s financial guidelines, so no formal offer was ever put to Messi despite their previous insistence and optimism that a deal could be struck.
Could Messi still return to Barcelona?
The idea of Messi moving to Inter Miami and then joining Barcelona on loan in the future has been mooted. It was an option club co-owner David Beckham used during his playing days, twice signing on loan for AC Milan from LA Galaxy during the MLS off-season.
The regular season in America runs from February to October with the play-offs being played from October to December. Given Inter Miami are bottom of the Eastern Conference, a significant improvement would be required for Phil Neville’s old side to get anywhere near the post-season.
