Barcelona fans are fervently hoping that Lionel Messi will return to the Nou Camp this summer, and they let it be known after their dismal Cup del Rey loss to Real Madrid. After Barcelona’s severe financial problems prevented them from giving him a new contract in 2021, Messi bid an emotional farewell to the Catalan club and signed a two-year deal with Paris Saint-Germain that expires this summer.
But, Barca hasn’t been shy about their desire to re-sign the World Cup winner. Lionel Messi’s future took a new turn over the weekend when, prior to the kick-off of PSG’s defeat to Lyon, he was booed by his own fans at the Parc des Princes. Since then, it has been reported that the 35-year-old has now made up his mind on leaving the Parisians in the summer, with negotiations over a new contract hitting a roadblock.
Camp Nou roars for a potential Lionel Messi return in summer
In a bid to show their collective uproar for the club to bring back their all-time topscorer, thousands of fans inside the Camp Nou began chanting Lionel Messi’s name in the tenth minute of Barcelona’s Copa del Rey semifinal match against Real Madrid. They made the gesture in reference to Messi’s previous No. 10 shirt which he donned while playing for their club.
Barca, who had a 1-0 advantage from the first leg in Madrid going into the semifinal match, had a difficult evening. A hat-trick from Karim Benzema and a goal from Vinicius Jr. gave Carlo Ancelotti’s team a 4-0 victory on Wednesday, dumping the Catalans out of the domestic cup competition.
Meanwhile, Messi, whose deal with the Ligue 1 giants expires this summer, has been heavily linked with a stunning comeback to Barcelona in recent weeks. Moreover, upon learning the rumour that the seven-time Ballon d’Or is ready to leave the French capital in the summer, Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal has made a staggering £350 million contract offer to sign him.
Campnou Chanting Messi Messi at 10th minutes of ElClassico .pic.twitter.com/LbRJLDObcb
— PSGhub (@Psghub__) April 5, 2023
However, Lionel Messi is said to be keen on staying in Europe if he leaves PSG. And it appears that Barcelona fans are in favour of their former star moving back to the Nou Camp at the end of the current campaign. They made their feelings clear through a large section of the stadium chanting, “Messi, Messi, Messi,” during the Copa del Rey El Clasico.
The thunderous gesture from Barcelona supporters for Leo Messi came only a few hours after club director Mateu Alemany dropped a hint that they would accelerate their pursuit of the club legend in the build up to the summer transfer window. When asked about their interest, he revealed:
“We do our thing, Messi does his thing. Messi is in Paris, but in the future you never know. No one can question the love that he receives here in Barcelona. He’s the best in history.”
Lionel Messi may yet sign a contract extension with PSG for a third season, but he wants assurances about the French champions’ sporting plans and structures after failing to win the all-important Champions League this year as well. Barcelona hopes to bring him back to Camp Nou in the meantime, despite their financial problems still being far from being rectified.