Messi's Barça Return: Not a Question of If, But When
The Argentine legend plans to return to Barcelona eventually, but won't involve himself in the upcoming club elections despite his strained relationship with Laporta.
Leo Messi will one day return to Barcelona, but fans hoping for his imminent homecoming during the upcoming presidential elections will need to keep their powder dry a bit longer.
Election Season Looms
Barça is about to plunge into election season with voting scheduled for March 15th. Current president Joan Laporta will step down next week to campaign for re-election, entering as the clear favorite. Three challengers have thrown their hats into the ring:
- Víctor Font (Laporta’s main rival who finished second last time)
- Xavi Vilajoana
- Marc Ciria
Messi’s influence over these proceedings could be massive, as evidenced by the social media storm when he recently made a surprise appearance at the Spotify Camp Nou to check out the stadium renovations. The pics went absolutely viral, sparking debate about what role the Argentine might play in the electoral process.
Staying Above the Fray
Despite his potential to swing votes toward any candidate he might endorse, Messi has zero intention of getting involved. The little magician plans to remain completely neutral throughout the process, offering support to nobody.
His focus lies elsewhere at present. He’s busy with Inter Miami in MLS and – more significantly – preparing for the upcoming World Cup on American soil. That tournament looms large in his thinking, with Argentina defending their title in what’s likely to be his final World Cup appearance.
The Eventual Return
Messi has made it clear in recent interviews that he intends to return to Barcelona someday. While the exact capacity of this return remains unclear, his decision to come back is apparently set in stone – just not during this election cycle.
Broken Relationship
During the 2021 elections, Messi was still Barcelona’s captain and player. Though he never publicly endorsed anyone, he had a positive relationship with Laporta from the president’s first tenure. Laporta campaigned claiming he had the formula to renew Messi’s contract, but when push came to shove, it never materialized.
This created a proper dog’s dinner between them. Messi felt deceived, and their relationship completely fractured. The failed attempt to bring him back two years later only made matters worse. Laporta has since tried to mend fences, but Messi’s having none of it.
Despite this bad blood with Laporta, Messi won’t back any candidate. He’ll wait for the electoral dust to settle and, after the World Cup concludes, begin planning his Barcelona homecoming in earnest.