Messi chatted with Banega after Sevilla 0-0 Barca as Catalans' captain shows his figure.
The pair are close friends and grew up together in Rosario, Argentina.
At the end of this season, Banega will be leaving LaLiga Santander to sign for Al-Shabab in Saudi Arabia, bringing to an end a 12-year rivalry.
Messi and Banega played together for Argentina at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, winning gold, before the latter signed for Valencia.
Since then, the two have come up against each other on several occasions, with Banega turning out for Atletico Madrid and Sevilla too.
Those match-ups include Copa del Rey finals and Supercopa de Espana ties, with Messi always turning up against Sevilla.
All the while, they've been playing together for the Argentinian national team, including at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.