Xavi Says Messi Had Agreed to Barcelona Return After World Cup Victory

Former Xavi Hernández, who previously managed FC Barcelona, has disclosed that Lionel Messi had already reached an agreement to return to the Spanish club shortly after Argentina lifted the trophy at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

According to Xavi, the arrangement for Messi’s comeback to the LaLiga giants had progressed significantly and was essentially finalized following Argentina’s historic triumph at the tournament. The legendary forward, who played a pivotal role in securing the World Cup title for Argentina national football team, reportedly expressed a strong desire to reunite with his former club.

However, despite the advanced stage of the negotiations, the agreement ultimately failed to materialize. Xavi explained that the deal was halted after intervention from Barcelona’s president, Joan Laporta, who declined to authorize the signing.

Speaking during an interview with La Vanguardia, Xavi revealed that Messi’s potential return to the Catalan side had already received approval from the Spanish league authorities. From a regulatory standpoint, the transfer would have been permitted, and both the club’s technical leadership and the player himself were aligned regarding the move.

Xavi stated that everything appeared to be in place for Messi to rejoin Barcelona after the World Cup celebrations. Nevertheless, the club president reportedly raised concerns about the possible financial consequences associated with bringing the Argentine superstar back to Camp Nou.

He explained that Laporta feared Messi’s arrival could trigger internal financial pressure within the squad, particularly concerning wages and salary expectations among players. According to Xavi, the president believed that adding Messi’s contract could ignite a wage imbalance inside the dressing room, something the club might struggle to sustain given its financial situation.

The former Barcelona coach emphasized that the discussions were genuine and far along, noting that Messi himself was willing to return. Despite this willingness from both sides, the leadership ultimately decided against completing the transfer due to financial considerations.

As a result, what had once appeared to be a highly anticipated reunion between Messi and Barcelona never came to fruition, even though the groundwork for the move had reportedly already been established.