Joan Laporta Makes Bold Claim on Lionel Messi’s Failed Barcelona Return

• Joan Laporta has opened up on why Lionel Messi turned down a return to Barcelona
• Messi joined Major League Soccer side Inter Miami after failing to reach an agreement with Barca
• Messi spent 21 years at Barcelona, making 778 appearances for the Catalan side

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has opened up on why Lionel Messi failed to join the Catalan club this summer despite them being his preferred choice.

La Blaugrana were tagged as the favourites to re-sign the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner after he revealed he was ending his two-year stint with Paris Saint-Germain.

Laporta has now confirmed Messi’s preferred time away from the spotlight owing to his difficult two years with PSG prompted him to dump Barcelona for MLS side Inter Miami, Sportskeeda reports.

Barcelona had offered the 36-year-old superstar a way back to Camp Nou this summer but after discussions with Jorge (Messi’s father), it was revealed the forward would prefer a time away from Europe.

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Messi remains Barcelona’s all-time goal scorer after netting a record 672 goals and assisting 303 times for the Catalan giants in 778 appearances.

Barca to host Messi tribute

Meanwhile, Lionel Messi is set to make a memorable return to Barcelona as Joan Laporta has confirmed the date for a potential tribute to the superstar at Camp Nou, Goal reports.

Laporta said the opening day of the Spotify Camp Nou would be an excellent date to pay special tribute to Messi, who joined Inter Miami this summer.

The Barcelona president went on to say that he remains sad at having had to bid farewell to Messi back in 2021 when Barca were unable to fund a new contract for the all-time great.

Messi’s Intentions in the MLS

Earlier, Sports Brief reported Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets are expected to be unveiled as new Inter Miami players. The latter’s signing has already been announced, while Messi’s is expected in the near future.

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Though a bit of scepticism has followed the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner’s transfer to the MLS, Inter Miami’s new coach and long-time friend of Messi has insisted that the forward’s decision to join them is all business.

In his introductory press conference on Thursday, new Inter Miami manager Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino told the media that his reunion with Messi and Sergio Busquets is about winning — not Miami’s sunny beaches.