Xavi has revealed why he will never return to Barcelona, claiming a row with president Joan Laporta stopped Lionel Messi from making a heroic return to the club. The former Barcelona head coach said tensions with the president went beyond football and affected decisions that shaped the club’s future.
In a detailed interview with La Vanguardia, Xavi explained how a planned comeback for Messi in 2023 fell apart, despite agreements between the club, the player, and La Liga. He accused Laporta of blocking Messi for fear of losing control at the club.
“The president is lying about what happened with Messi,” Xavi said. “Leo was signed. In January 2023, I contacted him after he won the World Cup, and he was excited about coming back. We talked until March, and I told him, ‘When you give me the OK, I will tell the president.’
“We had the green light from La Liga, but Laporta threw everything out. He told me that if Messi came back, he would go to war with him and could not allow it. I tried to talk to Leo and he did not answer. I spoke to his father and he said, ‘Talk to the president.’ Everything was ready. It was going to be Messi’s last season, like Michael Jordan’s final dance. But it never happened.”
Xavi said his decision to leave Barcelona was final. “I am never going back. I have done my time as a player and a coach. I just want to tell the truth. Messi did not return because Laporta did not want him. It is false that Messi’s father asked for more money or that La Liga blocked the move. Laporta holds all the power at Barcelona and he knew Messi would manage that power.”
The former coach also cited financial issues as a factor in Barcelona’s struggles while he was in charge. He highlighted a rejected transfer request for midfielder Martin Zubimendi, who later joined Arsenal for £55 million.
Xavi went further, alleging that Laporta’s decisions were influenced by his former brother-in-law, Alejandro Echevarría, who he claims has the real control at the club. “Laporta convinced me to stay when I had decided to leave in January. He said, ‘I cannot see the team without you.’ But the president got rid of me because of someone above him. Alejandro Echevarría has more power than Laporta. He betrayed me.”
These revelations came just days before Barcelona’s presidential election, where Laporta is seeking re-election against Victor Font.
Laporta responded to Xavi’s claims, saying the former coach is bitter that his successor, Hansi Flick, has had better results. “Being Barcelona president is a difficult job and you have to make tough decisions,” Laporta told RAC1. “I did what I had to do. With Xavi, I saw we were going to lose. With Flick, we are winning with the same players. I understand Xavi is hurting.”
On Messi, Laporta gave a different account. “In 2023, I was told Messi wanted to return. I sent the contract to his father. Later, Jorge Messi told me that it would create too much pressure at Barcelona and they preferred going to Miami.”
Xavi’s statements have sparked debate over leadership at Barcelona and the power dynamics shaping the club’s future. The upcoming election will likely be influenced by this ongoing dispute and the unresolved questions surrounding Messi’s potential return.
