Miami President: 'Hopefully Messi can bid farewell to Barca'
"I don't know if Barca want to organize a friendly match or say goodbye to Messi. They have a game for the Gamper Cup this summer. But there will be a match like that, hopefully when the Camp Nou is open again, because Their stadium is in the process of being remodeled and will not be used for another year and a half. Hopefully, Messi will be able to bid farewell to Barca properly," Mas said on the Offside podcast.
Messi left Barca in the summer of 2021 in a way that was not smooth. Barca announced that it could not sign a new contract, because of financial barriers from La Liga even though Messi accepted a 50% salary reduction compared to the previous contract. Three days later, Messi held a press conference to bid farewell to Barca after 21 years of attachment and then joined PSG. Barca did not organize a farewell match for the club legend.
So far, the relationship between Messi and Barca - the club that brought him to Europe at the age of 13 - has not been healed. This summer, after the contract with PSG expired, it was reported that Barca had negotiated to bring Messi back. However, this does not happen. The Argentine captain decided to come to the US to play football, playing for Inter Miami - a club that Mas is one of three co-owners with Jose Mas and David Beckham.
"I say that does not mean Messi will return to Barca. He will not be on loan there. Yes. Messi deserves a proper farewell and I will do everything in my power to make it happen. sue him to do it," Mas said.
In 17 years playing for Barca's first team, Messi scored 672 goals in 778 matches, won 35 titles - including 10 La Liga, 4 Champions League. His reputation is associated with the Catalan team. Therefore, the fact that Messi was not grateful to Barca when he left made many fans angry.
In Miami, Messi reunited two former Barca teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba. After leaving Japanese club Vissel Kobe, midfielder Andres Iniesta is said to also want to move to Miami. Messi's close friend Luis Suarez is looking to terminate his contract with Gremio club to join the team with him.
