Club’s greatest player was “excited” about returning in 2023 but the move was blocked by Laporta, says Xavi
Former Barcelona player and manager Xavi Hernandez has accused Joan Laporta of rejecting Lionel Messi’s return to Barcelona in 2023 simply because he wanted to hold on to power.
This was in an interview that was given just days before the club’s upcoming presidential election, where Laporta will be competing against Victor Font.
According to Xavi, discussions between him and Messi had progressed significantly before Barcelona’s president at the time forced the move to collapse.
“Laporta isn’t telling the truth,” Xavi told La Vanguardia. “He was about to come back. He was signed. January 2023. I contacted him after he won the World Cup and he told me he was excited about coming back, and I saw that.
“We talked until March and I told him, ‘When you give me the OK, I’ll tell the president.’ We had the green light from La Liga, but Laporta threw everything out. He told me, verbatim, that if Messi came back, he was going to wage war against him and that he couldn’t allow it.
“I tried to talk to Leo and he wouldn’t answer the phone. I spoke to his father and told him I didn’t understand anything, and he said, ‘Talk to the president.’ It was all set, it was going to be his ‘last dance,’ like Michael Jordan, everything was ready.”
Xavi coached Barcelona from 2021 to 2024, winning one La Liga title. However, he was dismissed due to consistently poor performances.
“I’m never going back to Barca,” Xavi said. “I’ve already done my time as a player and coach. Now I just want to tell the truth. Messi didn’t come to Barca because Laporta didn’t want him.
“It’s a lie that his father asked for more or that La Liga didn’t want him. Laporta has all the power at the club and he knew that Messi would manage that power for him.”
Despite his criticism of the club’s hierarchy, Xavi expressed his admiration with the current squad under Hansi Flick and believes the foundation laid during his time continues to benefit the team.
“I like their team, they’re dominant, attacking,” Xavi said. “We Barca fans enjoy it and I’m happy because I think we laid a very good foundation for the project to continue. The backbone is formed by Lamine, Pedri, Balde, Cubarsi, Fermin, people we put our faith in.”
He also revealed that Flick later visited him to apologise after reports of his potential appointment began circulating while Xavi was still in charge.
“Flick came to apologise because two weeks before I was sacked, I asked him if the rumours that he was coming were true, and he said no,” Xavi revealed.
“The club told him not to say anything, and that’s why he came to my house to apologise. They had decided to let me go, but nobody said anything to my face.”
Xavi also confirmed he remains in contact with Messi, although he declined to reveal details of their discussions regarding Barcelona’s internal politics.
“I speak with him,” said Xavi. “We have a good relationship. We talk about the elections, but they are private conversations. I prefer not to say anything, but I imagine you know what he thinks, right?”
