Xavi Hernandez, FC Barcelona’s former manager and player, spoke at length with the daily La Vanguardia (h/t SPORT) about Lionel Messi’s unsuccessful homecoming and publicly criticised Joan Laporta’s handling of the situation.
Xavi, who recently publicly supported presidential contender Victor Font during an election event, shockingly disclosed that it was Laporta who blocked Messi’s return in 2023, when the Argentine was set to depart PSG as a free agent.
“The president was not telling the truth about that either. Leo was signed. We got in touch in January 2023, after he won the world championship, and he told me he was excited to return, which I could see,” Xavi stated.
“We talked until March, and I said, ‘OK, when you give me the go-ahead, I’ll tell the president because I see it from a football perspective.'”
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The former manager confirmed that Laporta had began negotiations with Messi’s camp, including his father, Jorge, and that La Liga had also approved the transaction, only for the ex-president to pull out.
“The president began negotiating the contract with Leo’s father, and we had the green light from La Liga, but it was the president who threw it all away.”
When asked if Laporta had explained why he had changed his stance.
Xavi unexpectedly revealed
“Laporta told me, word for word, that if Leo came back, he would wage war on him and that he couldn’t allow that to happen.”
This also strained Messi’s friendship with Xavi, according to the former midfielder.
“Then Leo abruptly stopped answering my calls since the other side had told him it couldn’t be done. I called his father and said, ‘This can’t be, Jorge,’ to which he replied, ‘Talk to the president.'”
“I insisted that we had been talking to Leo for five months, it was a done deal, there were no doubts on the footballing side, financially we were going to Montjuic, and we were going to do a last dance like Jordan’s, everything was ready.”
“Yes, because he suspected I was involved in the plot.” It had a significant impact on my connection with Leo, but it has since returned to normal,” he stated.
“I was hoping for Leo to return, and I still believe he would help the squad score goals and make those crucial passes, but he’s going to participate in the World Cup! Leo would be successful again at Camp Nou, and that was both his and my wish.”
“He understands now, but for a while, I was unable to speak with him. “It was unfortunate, but it was the fault of those present,” Xavi continued.
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