Xavi accuses Laporta of thwarting Messi’s return to Barcelona… for this reason!

Former Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez revealed that club president Joan Laporta thwarted the return of Argentine star Lionel Messi in 2023, fearing a power struggle between the two men.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner left Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain in France in 2021, before moving in 2023 to Inter Miami in the United States.
Xavi told the Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia, “Signing with Leo was a decision. In January 2023, after winning the World Cup, we communicated and he told me that he wanted to return.”
He added, “We got the green light from the Spanish League (regarding financial restrictions), but it was the president who thwarted the matter… Laporta told me, literally, that if Leo returned, he would wage war against him and that he could not allow that. Then Leo suddenly stopped answering my calls after he was told that it was not possible.”
Xavi explained that everything was ready for Messi’s return, and that “there were no doubts” from a football standpoint, adding, “We were going to do the last dance, like (former NBA legend Michael Jordan).”
For his part, Laporta, who resigned from his position weeks ago to run for a new term this week, said on Monday that Xavi was upset, noting that Jorge, Messi’s father and his agent, informed him that the Argentine star had decided not to return.
Laporta added during an election debate, “With Xavi I thought we would lose, and with (current German coach Hansi) Flick we would win. I understand that (Xavi) is hurt, but with the players themselves, Flick wins.”
In 2021, Xavi returned to the team in which he starred as a player between 1998 and 2015, and supervised it until 2024, winning the Spanish League and Super Cup with him in 2023.
Laporta said that he sent a contract to Jorge Messi, who later came to his house and told him that “the pressure here will be very great” if the Argentine star returns to Barcelona.
Messi wrote his legend in Barcelona’s colors and became the Catalan club’s all-time top scorer and one of the best players in football history.
Laporta also revealed that Barcelona rejected an offer worth 250 million euros ($288 million) from Paris Saint-Germain for young striker Lamine Jamal, which was reportedly submitted in the summer of 2024.