Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez has insisted that Lionel Messi will always be welcome back at Camp Nou amidst his struggles at Paris Saint-Germain.
Speaking in a presser ahead of his team’s El Clasico meeting against Real Madrid (h/t MARCA), Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez has left the door open for Lionel Messi to secure a return to the club.
The summer transfer window last year saw one of the biggest shocks in the history of the game as Lionel Messi, having spent his entire career at Barcelona, left the club on a free transfer to sign for PSG, after the club could not extend his contract due to financial restrictions and salary cap rules.
The 34-year-old moved to Paris on a two-year contract with an option of a third. But he has found the going tough at Parc des Princes and has, at times, looked a shadow of his past. PSG fans, who were elated to have Messi at their club in the summer, have turned on him recently after the club’s humiliating exit from the UEFA Champions League at the hands of Real Madrid.
The situation has led to speculations that Messi might consider returning to his old stomping grounds in the summer. Veteran Barcelona defender Dani Alves gave his thoughts on the matter recently. And now Xavi has also spoken about the seven-time Ballon D’or’s predicament at PSG, insisting that the door is always open for him at Barcelona.
Xavi: “Leo Messi is the best player in history and the doors will always be open here at Barça for him”. ?? #FCB
“He deserves a big tribute – and I can't say much more because he has a contract with Paris Saint-Germain”, he added. pic.twitter.com/CTApHvDHul
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) March 19, 2022
“He is the best in history, and he’ll always be welcome at Barcelona,” he told the press. “As long as I’m coach, it doesn’t matter if he wants to come here every day. I think we owe him a huge amount.
“He has a contract with PSG and there is little we can say. Like whether he wants to come here every day to watch the training sessions and talk to the coach. What he has given us is priceless.”
Since joining PSG in the summer, Messi has played in 26 matches across all competitions, netting just seven goals and setting up 11 more. He has particularly found it hard to score in Ligue 1, having found the back of the net just twice in 18 outings. It will be interesting to see if the Argentine superstar’s situation at PSG improves or whether he seeks a return to Barcelona come the end of the season.
