The former player and coach of the Catalan club revealed that he had conversations with Messi for four months and that the possibility of his return was also discussed with Joan Laporta, who ultimately ended up halting the operation
The departure of Lionel Messi from Barcelona left a wound that, over the years, had various opportunities to heal. One of them emerged after his time at Paris Saint-Germain and gained traction during Xavi Hernández's tenure as coach of the Catalan team, although it ultimately did not materialize.
In an interview with Indian host Prakhar Gupta, Xavi shared details of those conversations and stated that the Rosario star intended to return to the club. "Messi was very eager to return to Barcelona, and I was totally in favor," said the former midfielder, who also maintained that his coaching staff supported the possibility. "Messi himself had high hopes, and both I and the entire coaching staff were also looking forward to it with great expectations," he expressed.
Xavi also revealed that the matter had been discussed with Laporta during that period. "At that moment, I thought we were going to return to Montjuic to experience something like Michael Jordan's last dance," he recalled.
For the former coach, the potential return was not only an emotional matter but also a sporting one. "It was difficult because I think we needed it. We needed his return to the team, and he was still in perfect physical condition. Plus, he won the World Cup in Qatar in 2022," Xavi pointed out.
The former footballer explained that the outcome of the conversations changed due to a decision by Laporta. "But in the end, President Laporta decided that he did not want to sign Messi again," he stated. At another point in the interview, he described the turn of events as unexpected: "Suddenly, the president canceled everything."
Xavi also recalled that the leader's decision took him by surprise because, according to his account, they had discussed the possible return during the months when negotiations were progressing. "It was very strange because during those four months, we had even exchanged opinions with the president on this matter," he maintained.
Messi could have returned to Barcelona after his time at PSG
The most difficult part, as Xavi himself recounted, came when he had to inform Messi that the operation would not take place. "I found it very hard to tell Messi: ‘We won’t do it. We won’t do it’," he recalled.
The coach explained that the enthusiasm had been shared among the parties involved, but ultimately, everything fell through. "He was excited, I was too, as was the coaching staff, and suddenly, the president changed his mind," he stated. And he concluded about that frustrated opportunity: "It could have been a fantastic period, but it never materialized. It’s really unfortunate."
