No more silence, what Laporta said about Messi's frustrated return to Barcelona

Lionel Messi's departure from Paris Saint-Germain filled everyone in Barcelona with hope, believing that after two seasons in France, the forward would return to wear the Blaugrana shirt. However, the player ended up agreeing to move to Major League Soccer to play for Inter Miami in exchange for a salary of $50 million per year.

This news infuriated the Catalan fans, who were disappointed at not being able to have their idol back home. While the club's financial difficulties may have been one of the reasons for the failed signing, Joan Laporta was targeted by some who believe that he did not do everything he could to sign the Argentine.

A couple of weeks have passed since the news broke, and for the first time the president explained what happened. In an interview with Mundo Deportivo, he stated: "Messi wanted to return to Barça. He had a very hard period in Paris. His father told me that he didn't want to have this pressure. We, the Culés, respect him. May he do very well in Miami. Barça will always be his home”.

On a possible return in the future, Laporta said: "I agreed with them to organize a tribute. The opening day of the Spotify Camp Nou would be an excellent date. These are decisions you have to make as president, Barça is above, but I also have a footballing spirit and I have known him since he was a child. I had to put the institution above”.

Without Messi, but with new faces

Despite not having the Argentine, Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández already knows that he will have two new signings: German midfielder Ilkay Gündoğan and Senegalese defender Mikayil Faye. Another player the coach wanted was Marcelo Brozović, who will finally play for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.