Lionel Messi has suggested that he's open to rejoining Barcelona and despite current president Joan Laporta pouring cold water on the idea, his possible replacement has a different stance
Lionel Messi's hopes of returning to Barcelona have received a boost after presidential candidate Victor Font revealed that he'd be the first person his team would call if he wins the upcoming elections. It comes after current president Joan Laporta described speculation of Messi's return as 'not realistic'.
The Argentine, 38, is open to a sensational move back to Barca, despite signing a new three-year deal with Inter Miami last month. Messi left the La Liga champions in 2021 after failing to agree a new contract and moved to Paris Saint-Germain.
His emotional departure remains a divisive topic among supporters, some of whom blame Laporta. Font has accused Barcelona's president of 'breaking promises' and wants to put things right as soon as June 2026 when the elections conclude.
"The first call I'll make when we win the elections will be to Leo Messi," Font, who Laporta beat in the 2021 presidential elections, told Mundo Deportivo. "It will be the first phone call I make."
Messi recently stated that he 'hopes' to return to Barcelona one day after a secret visit the newly-renovated Camp Nou which even Laporta didn't know about. Font isn't ruling out a return for Messi, who remains the club's all-time top goalscorer.
"Personally, as a Barca fan, I get goosebumps, but obviously this depends on him, and what we shouldn't do is try to use him," Font added. "I think Laporta has done it, and he's done it many times, and I think he's done it wrong; the most blatant example was during the elections."
Laporta told supporters in 2021 that he believed Messi would leave Barca if he didn't win the elections, guaranteeing his stay. "That was another example of a broken promise," Font claimed. "I believe Messi shouldn't be used, but Messi needs to know that the first thing I will do if I win the elections is pick up the phone and call him.
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"We need to embrace Leo Messi and do everything possible to ensure that, as soon as possible, he has the role at Barça that, as he said last week, he wants and that all Barca fans would be thrilled about."
Laporta told Catalunya Radio last week that the Barcelona are planning to build a statue of Messi at the Camp Nou and he wants to stage a tribute match in honour of the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner. "Things didn't end the way we would have liked... if, in some way, this tribute can make up for what wasn't done, I think it would be a good thing," the Barca chief explained.
"It would be right that he has the best tribute [match] in the world, and it would be wonderful to have it here, in front of 105,000 fans."