Xavi has revealed that Lionel Messi stopped speaking to him for a period after Barcelona’s failed attempt to bring the Argentine legend back to the club in 2023.
The Barcelona icon had been heavily linked with a return following his departure from Paris Saint-Germain, with the move widely discussed in the months after Argentina’s World Cup triumph.
However, despite early optimism around the negotiations, the transfer ultimately collapsed late in the process, leaving Messi frustrated and damaging his relationship with his former teammate.
Xavi says failed Messi return to Barcelona ‘greatly affected’ their relationship
Xavi has now explained that the breakdown of Messi’s proposed Barcelona comeback created tension between the pair because the Argentine initially believed the manager had been involved in blocking the move.
“This greatly affected my relationship with Leo. We talked, we have another relationship, good, but he thought I was part of the scheme, that I had deceived him. Far from it,” the former midfielder said.
“The truth is, my intention and my desire, moreover, was that I was dying for Leo to return to the club […] He knows now, but there was a time when I couldn’t get in touch with him. It was a shame, but it’s also the fault of those who are making decisions within the club now.”
Xavi explained that Barcelona president Joan Laporta ultimately ruled out the deal late in negotiations because of concerns about Messi’s influence around the club structure beyond the pitch.
What happened to Lionel Messi after Barcelona’s 2023 return collapsed
Messi ultimately left Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent in July 2023 before deciding to begin a new chapter in Major League Soccer.
The Argentine chose to sign for Inter Miami, turning down other offers as he opted to join the ambitious project led by the club’s ownership.
Messi’s arrival helped transform the club’s global profile and played a major role in the continued growth of MLS, marking a very different path to the Barcelona return that had once seemed possible.
