Xavi claims Lionel Messi had agreed to return to Barcelona in 2023, just for Joan Laporta to dam the deal

Former Barcelona coach Xavi claims Lionel Messi had agreed to return to Camp Nou in 2023 however the transfer was blocked by president Joan Laporta.

Messi had simply received the World Cup with Argentina and was exploring his choices along with his contract at Paris Saint-Germain because of expire that summer time. Then Barca boss Xavi spoke to his former team-mate and a verbal settlement was in place for Messi to return to the membership for whom he had scored a report 672 objectives earlier than leaving in 2021 with the financially stricken Catalan giants unable to maintain him.

The deal was nearing completion however, in accordance with Xavi, Laporta pulled the plug with Messi finally going to Inter Miami. Laporta has at all times claimed it was Messi who opted in opposition to shifting again to Barca because of the stress it could have created.

In an explosive interview with La Vanguardia, Xavi stated: “The president is mendacity about what occurred with Messi. Leo was signed. In January of 2023, after he had received the World Cup, I spoke to him and he advised me he was excited to return.

“We spoke till March and I advised him: ‘When you give me the OK, I’ll inform the president as a result of it really works completely on a soccer degree.’

“The president negotiated the contract with Leo’s dad [Jorge] and we had the inexperienced mild from La Liga financially, but it surely was the president who pulled out.

“He advised me verbatim that if Messi got here again, he would make a struggle [against Laporta]. My curiosity is in telling the reality. Leo didn’t come as a result of the president didn’t need him.

“It’s a misinform say it’s as a result of La Liga [wouldn’t allow it financially] or Jorge Messi requested for more cash. It was the president and his individuals who stated they might not permit it, that he [Laporta] has all the ability and that Messi would deal with that badly.”

Messi needed a ‘Final Dance’, like Michael Jordan

Xavi says he and Messi didn’t converse for some time after the transfer broke down.

“I attempted to speak to Leo and he didn’t decide up the telephone,” he added. “I talked to his father and advised him that I didn’t perceive something and he advised me ‘speak to the president’. 

“It was all completed, it was going to be his ‘final dance’, like Michael Jordan, all the things was prepared.”

Xavi ended up leaving Barca in Could 2024, 4 months after the membership persuaded him to rethink his unique determination to stroll away on the finish of that season.

He says he was finally fired by Alejandro Echevarría, Laporta’s former brother-in-law.

Xavi claims: “He [Echevarria] virtually runs the membership. I had an in depth relationship [with him], of friendship, but it surely ended up failing me fully.

“In January I advised him that I might not proceed for the sake of the membership and mine. I’m assembly with Echevarría throughout these months as a result of I do know that he’s the one who decides all the things. He insists that he needs me to proceed, that I rethink the choice. However then he calls me after the defeat to PSG within the Champions League to inform me that the board was unsure about my continuity.

“I’m going to the president’s home and there Laporta lies to me once more. He advised me that he doesn’t see Barça with out me. Then Echevarría arrives and says that my employees is a catastrophe, and that the bodily preparation shouldn’t be ok.”

Barcelona chief Laporta dismisses Xavi’s claims forward of election

Xavi’s outburst comes at a nasty time for Laporta with the membership’s elections being held on Sunday. Laporta, who has been Barca president for 12 years throughout two spells, is standing in opposition to Victor Font.

He dismissed Xavi’s claims and says his sacking was proper for the membership.

“Once I see what Xavi has stated, I take into consideration [current Barça coach] Hansi Flick,” Laporta advised RAC1. “Being Barça president is a troublesome job and it’s a must to make troublesome choices. I did what I needed to do.

“With Xavi, I noticed that we had been going to lose and that with Flick we had been going to win. I perceive that he’s hurting. With the identical gamers, Flick is profitable.

“As for Messi, that is the way it was: In 2023, I used to be advised Messi needed to return and I despatched the contract to Jorge Messi, who later got here to my home and advised me that there can be an excessive amount of stress again right here and that they would like to go to Miami.”