Report – The true story behind Lionel Messi’s surprise Spotify Camp Nou visit | OneFootball

For a figure like Lionel Messi to arrive in Barcelona, make his way through the city and enter the Spotify Camp Nou in the middle of the night without anyone in the city batting an eye sounds to be an impossible task, especially given the sensational fan following he has.

Yet, that was precisely what the club legend did last night as he arrived in Barcelona and entered the field at the stadium he has graced for years to take a first-hand look at the renovations, the new look of the stadium and relive his memories.

Neither the media nor the club offices knew anything of the player’s arrival, and it seems that his social media post left them perplexed as to how and when he managed to enter the stadium without making any noise.

Two contrasting stories

As relayed in a recent report by Fernando Polo on Mundo Deportivo, it remains a mystery as to how Messi managed to enter the stadium so silently last night, and there are two theories in contention to explain that – one each by the club and Messi’s entourage.

As per Messi’s close circle, it was the player’s personal desire and sudden plan to visit the club’s historic stadium, and he entered the premises just before midnight on Sunday night without contacting anyone from the club to authorise or permit his entry. 

Messi visited the renovated Camp Nou. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

No contact was made to even inform them of such an event, for it was a plan that developed on the spot while Messi was on his way to Alicante.

Barcelona, however, have an alternate theory that does not match the story given by the legend’s entourage.

According to the club, Messi requested permission to enter the stadium via the security of the company ‘Limak’, who are renovating the stadium, and the request was then forwarded to the club offices.

Barcelona then did not hesitate to grant permission because Messi is always welcome home, and thus immediately sanctioned his entry into the venue. 

However, sources close to the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner maintain that it is not true that he entered the stadium after receiving permission from the club at the request of the construction company’s security agency.

Furthermore, those sources add that Messi’s desire is to return to Barcelona someday to is some capacity because he considers the club his home.