Lionel Messi’s unannounced return to the Spotify Camp Nou last week, his first visit since departing Barcelona in 2021, set off a wave of nostalgia across Catalonia. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner reportedly arrived without fanfare, his appearance catching even club officials off guard.
“I Have No Regrets”: Joan Laporta on Lionel Messi Departure from Barcelona
Barcelona president Joan Laporta, speaking in an interview soon after, confirmed that Messi’s visit had not been pre-arranged. “We didn’t know he was coming,” Laporta said. “But we were glad to see him back. We love him. This is his home, and he knows it. I think he deserves the best farewell in history.”
Laporta, who presided over Messi’s departure amid the club’s financial turmoil in 2021, defended the decision as unavoidable. “Despite how it happened, I have no regrets. Barça is above anyone else. It was not what we wanted, but it was necessary.”
Asked about a possible short-term return, Laporta was categorical: “Out of respect for Messi, our players, and our members, it’s not the time to speculate with unrealistic scenarios.”
The president did, however, confirm that the club is preparing a grand tribute once the renovation of Camp Nou is complete. “It’s only fair that Lionel receives the greatest tribute in the world,” Laporta said. “When the new stadium opens, we want him to feel the appreciation he deserves.”
For a player whose story once defined an era, the visit was fleeting — but, in Barcelona’s long memory, it lingered.
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