Inter Miami star Lionel Messi could be set for Barcelona farewell game at Camp Nou

Inter Miami and Barcelona went head-to-head to secure the signing of Argentina captain Lionel Messi earlier this summer, with the MLS team ultimately coming out on top. However, co-owner Jorge Mas has revealed he will do “everything in his power” to ensure the Barça legend has the opportunity to play a farewell match at Camp Nou.

Messi’s incredible Barcelona legacy

Messi moved to Catalonia at the age of 13, made his competitive first-team debut at 17 and went on to make 778 appearances in 17 seasons for La Blaugrana, netting 672 goals. No player in the club’s history has played or scored more. The Argentine won 10 LaLiga titles and four Champions Leagues along with a host of other trophies, and won the Ballon d’Or a record seven times during his spell in Spain.

Why did the Argentina captain leave Barça?

However, he was effectively forced out of Barcelona in 2021 due to their financial mismanagement, which prevented them from registering the new contract he had agreed with them in principle. We all remember Messi’s tears at his farewell press conference, during which he described his departure as “the hardest moment of my career” and “like a cold shower”. “I did everything to stay, that is what I wanted”, he explained.

After two years at Paris Saint-Germain, Barça had hoped to take Messi back but still couldn’t find the way to make it work from a financial perspective. Yet it appears as if there is a chance we could see him back at (the new) Camp Nou before long.

When could Messi return to Barcelona for a farewell game?

Mas, who co-owns Inter Miami along with former Real Madrid and Manchester United midfielder David Beckham, has revealed to the Offside with Taylor Twellman podcast that his club would be interested in taking part in an official farewell match for Messi in Barcelona.

“This is my personal opinion. and I’m speculating. I want to caveat that. I don’t know if it’s some type of friendly or farewell game. They have this Gamper Trophy they play for in the summer.

But there will be something where, hopefully when the new Camp Nou is open, because their stadium there they will not be playing in for the next year and a half, hopefully Lionel Messi can say his proper goodbye”.

Inter Miami won’t sanction MLS off-season loan

He stressed, however, that the 36-year-old wouldn’t be moving back to Europe on loan in the MLS off-season, as Beckham did with AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain after his switch to LA Galaxy.

“That does not entail playing for Barcelona. He’s not going to go on loan there. That’s not going to happen. Yes, he deserves his correct goodbye there. Yes, and I will do everything in my power in order to facilitate and help him do that because he’s deserving of that.”