Laporta firmly rules out Messi return as player – ‘If you live in the past you hardly move forward’ | OneFootball

Ever since Lionel Messi paid a surprise visit to the redeveloped Spotify Camp Nou earlier this week, there has once again been talk of him making a stunning comeback to FC Barcelona.

It has been over four years since the Argentine superstar ended up leaving the Blaugrana in extremely disappointing circumstances.

During this period, murmurs of a possible comeback have always been doing the rounds, and his recent visit, coupled with the admission of his undying love and affection for the club, has given a spark to the chatter once again.

Laporta shuts down possibility

Despite the talk and rumours, a return to Barcelona for Messi as a player was never likely at this point, even more so after he signed a new long-term contract at Inter Miami.

His fraught relationship with the current Barça president, Joan Laporta, also made any plan for a comeback extremely difficult.

Messi will not return to Barcelona as a player, insists Laporta. (Photo by Leonardo Fernandez/Getty Images)

Now, Laporta himself has come out and shut the doors on the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner making a sensational return to the club in a playing capacity.

“Leo Messi’s return as a player is something just not realistic. As of now, he has a contract with Inter Miami,” said Laporta, as quoted by Fabrizio Romano.

Not stopping there, the Barcelona chief added that the team is looking to build towards the future and not keep looking back on the past.

“The club is building a project for the present and future. It’s complicated, and if you live in the past, you hardly move forward,” he added.

As mentioned before, the possibility of Messi returning to Barcelona as a player was always unlikely. And these comments from Laporta pretty much shut the door on that possibility for good.

However, as the club president has previously stated, Barça still intend to pay tribute to their greatest player of all time and plans are being made for the same, with Laporta even hinting at a proposal for Messi’s statue being erected at Camp Nou.