Why Messi missed out on Barca 2023: La Liga blocked last-minute registrations.
Messi called Xavi in January 2023; La Liga changed its stance at the end of April, causing the return to Barca to fall through. Messi signed with Inter Miami, and his relationship with Joan Laporta soured.
According to SPORT, Lionel Messi's plan to return to Barcelona in 2023 fell through at the last minute because La Liga blocked registration. Despite being previously given the "green light," the league's stance and the Barca leadership changed, halting the deal. Tired of waiting after his contract with PSG expired, Messi decided to sign with Inter Miami.
2023 Deal Timeline
Details revealed by SPORT paint a picture of a highly anticipated journey that ended abruptly:
- January 2023: Messi called coach Xavi Hernández, expressing his desire to return to Barcelona when his contract with PSG expires at the end of the season.
- February 2023: Messi invited Xavi to meet Jorge Messi (his father and agent). Xavi reported this to President Joan Laporta, who seemed eager for the prospect of a reunion.
- April 2023: Sporting director Mateu Alemany informed Xavi that La Liga had given the "green light" for the deal in July, paving the way for drafting a tentative two-year contract.
- Late April 2023: Jorge Messi informed Xavi that the deal had fallen through because La Liga had finally blocked transfer registrations. With the league's and Barcelona's leadership shifting their positions, everything came to a standstill.
- June 30, 2023: Messi becomes a free agent after leaving PSG and growing tired of waiting for a decision from Barca.
- Then: Messi signed with Inter Miami, ending yet another unsuccessful attempt to return to Camp Nou.
The turning point: from a dream Camp Nou to Inter Miami.
Following Argentina's 2022 World Cup victory, Messi faced a wave of skepticism and boos at Parc des Princes. He directly expressed his desire to return to Barcelona to Xavi, and plans were quickly put into motion. However, according to SPORT, a last-minute change of course – when La Liga blocked registrations – rendered all efforts futile.
The relationship with Barcelona's leadership has soured.
In 2020, Messi participated in the Barcelona presidential election for the first time, and although the ballot was secret, many sources suggested he supported Joan Laporta. But after leaving in 2021, the relationship gradually deteriorated. Messi repeatedly expressed his desire to return to Barcelona, while avoiding mentioning Laporta – who also admitted that his relationship with the club legend had worsened.
During his recent return to Camp Nou, Messi did not inform any Barcelona officials, a sign that tensions have not subsided. According to SPORT, a reunion is almost impossible as long as Laporta remains in charge.
The setting spans from Paris to Barcelona.
The 2023 journey began with a stark contrast: the culmination of the 2022 World Cup and an atmosphere of skepticism at PSG. Messi and Xavi found common ground, plans progressed step by step, and there were even reports of a "green light" and a two-year contract. However, La Liga's registration ban became an insurmountable obstacle.
What remains after the door closes
For Messi, Inter Miami was the choice to end the long wait. For Barcelona, the 2023 story shows that any reunion plan depends on the league's stance and the direction from the club's top management – a factor that shifted at the decisive moment, according to SPORT.
Related articles
Marcus Rashford returned to England for Barcelona's Champions League away match against Chelsea, but the English star only started the game on the bench.
New revelations from SPORT close an unfinished chapter between Messi and Barcelona, leaving the question of whether the doors of Camp Nou will remain open in the near future.
