March 20, (THEWILL) – Barcelona manager, Xavi Hernandez, has stated that club legend, Lionel Messi, is “always welcome” at Camp Nou, particularly after the Argentine’s catastrophic debut season at PSG by his own extremely high standards.
Messi has only scored two league goals in Paris this season, a far cry from the 30 goals he netted at Barcelona the season before his departure, and had a poor showing in the Champions League round of 16 defeat to Real Madrid.
After PSG’s defeat to Real Madrid, fans booed Messi, as THEWILL reported. This has fuelled concerns over his future in the French capital beyond the 2021/2022 football season.
In his news conference ahead of El Clasico this weekend, Xavi did not rule out a return for Messi, nor did he imply that a move was imminent. Instead, stating that the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner is always welcome to return to the Nou Camp.
“He is the best in history and he’ll always be welcome at Barcelona”, said Xavi.
“As long as I’m coach, it doesn’t matter if he wants to come here every day. I think we owe him a huge amount.
“He has a contract with PSG and there is little we can say. Like whether he wants to come here every day to watch the training sessions and talk to the coach. What he has given us is priceless.”
Messi is not the only superstar considering a Paris exit this summer. The sensational Kylian Mbappe, who has turned down many contract offers from PSG in recent months, appears to be on his way to Real Madrid.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
