Lionel Messi has opened up about his strong desire to return to Barcelona after leaving Paris Saint-Germain, but revealed that circumstances ultimately made the move impossible.
In an interview with Simplemente Futbol, Messi shared that he had planned to make a return to Catalonia after his time at PSG, but the financial difficulties and ongoing sanctions against Barcelona prevented the deal from happening. Reports from 2023 indicated that Barcelona would have needed to sell several players to meet Messi’s £21 million salary demands, making the move financially unfeasible.
Messi explained:
“I had the intention of returning to Barcelona and being able to go back to a place I always wanted to be, but it was not possible again.”
He added that his decision was also deeply influenced by his family and the World Cup victory, which played a pivotal role in shaping his next steps. Messi was clear about his reluctance to play for another European club, saying,
“I didn’t want to go to any of them.”
As a result, Messi’s move to Inter Miami in MLS became the best option, allowing him to continue his career in a new chapter. He will next be in action with Inter Miami on April 19 when they travel to Columbus Crew in MLS.
