Lionel Messi has returned to Barcelona’s newly renovated Camp Nou on Sunday and expressed his wish to one day personally say goodbye to the Blaugrana fans
Messi left Barcelona in the summer of 2021 after the club was unable to renew his contract due to financial constraints, which have since begun to ease.
His departure was abrupt, and he never had the chance to bid farewell to fans inside the stadium, with a tearful press conference being his only send-off before joining Paris Saint-Germain.
Four years later, now with Inter Miami, Messi stepped onto Camp Nou once again on Sunday evening after guiding the Herons to the next round of the Major League Soccer playoffs. “I hope I can return someday, and not just to say goodbye as a player, like I never got to…” he said.
Camp Nou has been under renovation for nearly three years but is set to reopen soon with limited capacity. The club aims to host competitive matches at the stadium after the international break, with further work planned to reach a full capacity of around 100,000.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has expressed a desire to organize a tribute for Messi once the stadium is complete. “Of course, I’d love that,” he said during a recent test event. “It would be a beautiful way to show gratitude and recognition. When we reach 100,000 capacity, we’ll be able to hold the tribute he, the club, and everything we achieved together deserve. But it probably won’t happen before the end of 2026, since that’s when club elections will take place. I don’t know if I’ll still be president then, but if I am, I’d be very happy to lead Messi’s tribute at the stadium.”
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