On October 8, according to Beijing time (CET), Paul Baleus, The Athletic's correspondent covering Barcelona, reported that the club is actively discussing organizing a farewell match for Messi.

At the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires, Lionel Messi, surrounded by more than 85,000 fans and dozens of tearful teammates, delivered a 10-minute speech on the field that moved the entire football world.

For the 39-year-old Messi, it was a fitting farewell and his 208th and final appearance for Argentina. Early Wednesday morning, many Barcelona fans in Europe stayed awake to see their hero receive the send-off he deserved.

In his youth, Messi grew up in Barcelona's La Masia academy, and after he emerged as a star for Barcelona, many of its fans suddenly began supporting the Argentine national team.

During the peak years of Messi's career at Barcelona, some in Argentina criticized him for failing to replicate his club success with the national team.

Barcelona fans shared Messi's disappointments and frustrations when he wore the blue-and-white shirt. In recent years, they also celebrated the glory he achieved on the international stage. On December 18, 2022, more than 10,000 fans gathered at Barcelona's Arc de Triomf, one of the city's landmarks, to celebrate Argentina's World Cup victory in Qatar under Messi's leadership.

Five years have passed since Messi's tearful departure from Barcelona, yet at the club with which he shares his deepest connections, fans have never been able to say goodbye to him the way Argentine fans did.

The following will explain why and how this situation could change in the future.

Why didn't Messi receive a proper farewell at Barcelona?

The main reason is that his departure at the time was too painful.

Messi joined Barcelona at age 13, and from 2004 to 2021 he became the club's record holder for appearances (778) and goals (672). However, he left Barcelona during the pandemic when the club faced severe financial difficulties. In August 2021, he tearfully announced his departure at a press conference instead of saying goodbye to fans on the Camp Nou pitch.

This also underscored that Messi genuinely did not want to leave Barcelona. Club president Joan Laporta stated that due to debts exceeding 1 billion euros (approximately 1 billion US dollars; around 847 million pounds sterling at the current rate), the club struggled to comply with La Liga's financial rules, which forced Messi to leave. This also damaged Messi's relationship with club management, particularly with Laporta.

Pandemic restrictions also prevented fans from giving Messi a proper send-off at the stadium. Moreover, Messi was not retiring from professional football at that time—he subsequently joined Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent.

Has a farewell match been discussed over the years?

Yes—quite extensively.

For a long time, Barcelona fans felt they had no opportunity to express their love for Messi or properly say goodbye to the club legend. Messi has been playing for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer since 2023.

This became a political issue. This year, during Laporta's successful re-election campaign for Barcelona president, he was frequently asked how he intended to repair relations with Messi and when the Argentine could be honored.

Laporta stated that Messi deserves a farewell match at Camp Nou and expressed a desire to erect a statue of Messi outside the stadium. "It would be very meaningful—currently there are only statues of Johan Cruyff and Ladislao Kubala around the stadium," Laporta said after winning the election in March.

Messi has not responded to Laporta's proposal about the statue, nor has he shown any desire to reconcile with the president who was in power when he left Barcelona.

Instead, last November Messi surprised everyone at the club by appearing at the significantly renovated Camp Nou at night without notifying club officials.

Messi was granted access to the stadium and took several photos, which he later posted on his social media.

"I returned to a place I still miss with all my heart," he wrote in the caption. "Here I was incredibly happy, and you made me feel like the happiest man in the world. I hope to return one day, not just as a player, to say goodbye the way I never could before."

What is the main obstacle to organizing a farewell match?

It is his relationship with Laporta.

Resentment between them has existed since Messi's departure. In summer 2023—shortly before he decided to move to Miami—Messi's representatives and Barcelona discussed the possibility of his free return from Paris Saint-Germain. His father, Jorge, was seen meeting with Laporta in Barcelona, but what seemed like a fairy-tale transfer ultimately fell through.

"I really wanted to return, but after everything that happened in 2021, I didn't want to go through the same situation again," Messi said in an interview with Spanish newspapers Sport and Mundo Deportivo after announcing his move to Inter Miami.

"I didn't want to put my future in someone else's hands. I heard that La Liga approved my return regarding Barcelona's spending restrictions, but there were other unresolved issues. I heard they needed to sell players and free up salary cap space. I didn't want to go through that again, to find myself in that situation again."

These comments were clearly veiled criticism of Laporta and his tenure—it was his administration that was forced to let Messi go years earlier due to financial difficulties. Just months after Messi's departure, Barcelona made significant investments in new signings, such as Ferran Torres from Manchester City in January 2022 for an initial transfer fee of 55 million euros, which greatly displeased those close to Messi.

So will he get a farewell match?

I believe so.

Messi has expressed a desire to say goodbye to Barcelona fans, and Laporta has repeatedly stated that the club's doors are always open for the legendary forward whenever he sees fit.

"We told Messi that we hope to honor him after we complete the reconstruction of Camp Nou," Laporta said at the club's general assembly last month. Barcelona plans to fully complete the stadium renovation, which has been postponed several times, before the start of the 2028/29 season.

"We will only do this if he wants it himself," Laporta added. "In 2023, Messi had the opportunity to return for one season, but he chose to take a different challenge. We would be very happy to honor him, and I hope to see him soon."

This will require both sides to set aside past grievances for a greater cause. After winning the Barcelona election, Laporta's term is expected to extend until 2031. According to club statutes, he will not be eligible to run for re-election.

All of this will also depend on Messi's other plans, including whether he continues his professional career at Inter Miami. In October 2025, the club announced an extension of his contract through 2028.

Meanwhile, Messi has recently ventured into football club ownership, acquiring stakes in two Spanish clubs: Cornellà, which plays in the fifth division, and Eldense, which competes in the second division.

The acquisition of Eldense is still awaiting approval from Spain's High Council of Sport, but Messi appears to be planning his life after his playing career ends.

Переведено ИИ.

Сайт AF теперь доступен! Читайте полные новости, комментарии, детали матчей и статистику на компьютере. Посетите: www.allfootballapp.com