"I think it was good for everyone" - Barcelona director Deco gives his take on unsuccessful attempt to bring Lionel Messi back in 2023
Barcelona director Deco shared his thoughts on the club's failed attempt to bring Lionel Messi back to the Camp Nou in the summer of 2023. The legendary Argentine is considered the greatest Blaugrana legend of all time.
Lionel Messi was forced to leave Barcelona in August 2021 after they failed to renew his contract due to their financial condition. The Argentine then signed for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) as a free agent on a two-year deal. After his contract with PSG expired in 2023, Messi reportedly wanted to return to his boyhood side, while Barca also tried to bring him back. However, the deal never materialized due to recurring financial woes.
In an interview with Globo Esporte, Barcelona director Deco opened up about the club's unsuccessful move to bring Lionel Messi back in 2023. The former Blaugrana legend also took over the helm as the sporting director in the same year. He said (via Barca Universal):
"People were talking about Arabia, Miami. Messi’s story is so great, he’s the greatest player in Barca’s history, that maybe there are no repetitions. Sometimes it involves personal issues. He may have wanted to go to Miami. After Paris, the most important thing was for him to find himself again and be happy. Maybe that wouldn’t have happened at Barca, because the pressure would have been too much."
Deco claimed the outcome turned out to be better for both parties and added:
"I think it was good for everyone. Barcelona continued on its path, trying to rebuild itself. And Messi continued on his path, scoring goals and being happy."
Lionel Messi eventually joined MLS side Inter Miami in the summer of 2023, where he currently plies his trade. La Pulga's current contract is set to expire in December 2025, with no confirmed reports of his future yet.
"That wasn’t possible" - When Lionel Messi opened up about his desire to return to Barcelona in 2023
In an interview with Mundo Deportivo (h/t Barca Blaugranes), Lionel Messi revealed that he wanted to return to Barcelona in 2023 after winning the World Cup with Argentina the year before. The former Blaugrana superstar said:
"After the World Cup I couldn’t see myself in another European team that wasn’t Barça. My goal was to come back to my home, where everything started. Unfortunately, that wasn’t possible."
Messi also elaborated on his decision to join Inter Miami and said:
"The decision to come here was purely a family decision. We came to the United States, to Miami, to live this new experience."
Reports have often linked Lionel Messi to a Barcelona return since his departure in 2021. However, recent rumors claimed that the Argentine was not keen on returning to the club in any role due to his difficult relationship with President Joan Laporta.
