Shock in the sports world after Xavi's statements
Barcelona legend and former coach Xavi Hernandez has sent shockwaves through the global sports world, and particularly among Catalan fans, with his controversial remarks revealing the deep-seated conflict between club president Joan Laporta and Argentine icon Lionel Messi. In a direct attack, Xavi stated, "The club president made false statements, and he is the main and direct reason why the Argentine star is not in the Catalan team.".
Historical context: The wound of Messi's departure that has not healed
To understand the implications of these statements, we must return to the historical context of Lionel Messi's departure from Barcelona in the summer of 2021. At that time, "La Pulga" left the Camp Nou in tears, heading to Paris Saint-Germain, after the club announced its inability to register his new contract due to Financial Fair Play regulations imposed by La Liga. Since then, Messi's return to Barcelona a dream for the fans and an unspoken campaign promise for the Laporta administration, which repeatedly tried to project an image that the club was doing everything possible to bring back its all-time leading scorer.
Behind the scenes after the 2022 World Cup
Xavi's fiery remarks came during an exclusive interview with the Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia, coinciding notably with preparations for the Barcelona elections in which Laporta is running, facing fierce opposition from prominent figures, most notably Victor Font. Xavi asserted that Messi's return was imminent when he was in charge of the team.
Xavi added, explaining the details of the contacts: “After the Argentine national team won the World Cup in Qatar 2022, I contacted Messi directly. He told me frankly that he was very eager to return home, and I sensed that passion in his words. At that point, I told him: ‘Okay, when you give me the green light, I will speak immediately with the president, because I was and still am certain that Messi’s return is the right decision, both from a sporting and popular perspective.’”.
How did Laporta ruin the historic deal?
In a shocking revelation, Xavi confirmed that Laporta had already begun negotiations with Jorge Messi (the player's father and agent), and that the club had even secured official approval from La Liga to register the player within the club's salary cap. However, according to a report by RT, Xavi explained that Laporta ultimately ruined everything at the crucial moment.
The former coach continued with regret: “Suddenly, without warning, Lionel stopped answering my calls. We had been negotiating with Messi for five whole months, and the agreement was almost finalized. No one doubts his exceptional footballing abilities, and financially we would have saved the entire cost of the deal. But the shock came when Laporta told me frankly that if Lionel Messi returned, he would declare war on him, and that he would never allow that to happen.”.
The expected impact of Xavi's statements
These statements carry significant weight both domestically and regionally. Domestically, these revelations will severely damage Joan Laporta's popularity among the "Cules" (Barcelona fans) and could be heavily exploited by the opposition in the upcoming elections to demonstrate the current administration's lack of transparency. Internationally, they expose the behind-the-scenes story of La Liga's failure to bring back one of its greatest legends, which negatively impacted the league's marketing value and ultimately led Messi to choose Inter Miami in the United States.
Conclusion: Unfulfilled wishes
Xavi concluded his remarks with heartfelt words: “I desperately wanted Leo back, and I still firmly believe he would have helped the team immensely in scoring goals and providing assists, and he would have led us to victories again at the Camp Nou. That was my wish and his, and he knows it very well. But there was a period when I couldn't communicate with him, which is very unfortunate. Despite everything, the credit now goes to those who are in the team and defending its colors.”.
