Barcelona president dreams of having Lionel Messi present at Camp Nou reopening | OneFootball

Lionel Messi paid the Spotify Camp Nou a surprise visit last night, and it is not surprising that the Spanish media are still reeling in shock at the development, given that nobody had even a remote idea of such a visit.

The Argentine star, who has not stepped onto the lawns in Catalonia since the day he left the club, arrived at the venue to take a look at the renovated stadium and thus graced the pitch with his presence in solitude.

Ironically, the player’s last game at the venue came against Celta Vigo in 2021, and he returned last night just hours after Barcelona beat the same opponent in La Liga four years later.

Laporta’s dream

Messi’s arrival in Catalonia came as a surprise not only to the media but also to the club offices themselves, and no one was informed before his trip. His decision to pay a visit, needless to say, speaks volumes about the love he has for the Catalan club.

As relayed by Mundo Deportivo in a recent report, Barcelona president Joan Laporta wants Messi to be present at the renovated Spotify Camp Nou for the official reopening of the stadium – a game that is not too distant.

Messi paid a surprise visit to Camp Nou. (Photo by Marcelo Endelli/Getty Images)

The Blaugrana have already received the necessary permit to open the stadium to a capacity of 23,000 fans, but Laporta and Co. opted to defer the reopening until they get the next phase sanctioned, which will allow 45,000 fans to flock to the stands.

Work at the venue has been ongoing at a rapid rate in recent weeks, and there is a possibility that the team’s first game after the international break, against Athletic Club, could be held at the Spotify Camp Nou.

The goal, thus, is to bring Messi to Catalonia once more later this month, although it will be anything but easy given the friction between Joan Laporta and Messi.

Needless to say, all efforts will be made to invite and accommodate the legend on the night, for Laporta even spoke recently of handing Messi a tribute at the venue. Everything, however, will boil down to the player’s relationship with Laporta.